Yahoo Finance Springfield Properties' (LON:SPR) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's
Springfield Properties Plc (LON:SPR) has announced that it will be increasing its periodic dividend on the 16th of December to £0.047, which will be 5.6% higher than last year's comparable payment amount of £0.0445. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 7.2%.
While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. Springfield Properties' stock price has reduced by 32% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.
View our latest analysis for Springfield Properties
Springfield Properties' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Based on the last payment, Springfield Properties was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 55.7% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 31% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
Springfield Properties' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
It's comforting to see that Springfield Properties has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. If the company cuts once, it definitely isn't argument against the possibility of it cutting in the future. The dividend has gone from an annual total of £0.02 in 2017 to the most recent total annual payment of £0.062. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 25% over that duration. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.
Springfield Properties Could Grow Its Dividend
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. It's encouraging to see that Springfield Properties has been growing its earnings per share at 8.1% a year over the past five years. Since earnings per share is growing at an acceptable rate, and the payout policy is balanced, we think the company is positioning itself well to grow earnings and dividends in the future.
An additional note is that the company has been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 16% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.
We Really Like Springfield Properties' Dividend
In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Springfield Properties that investors should take into consideration. Is Springfield Properties not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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