Stewart Information Services' (NYSE:STC) Dividend Will Be Increased To US$0.38

Stewart Information Services Corporation's (NYSE:STC) dividend will be increasing to US$0.38 on 31st of December. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 1.9%.

View our latest analysis for Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. However, Stewart Information Services' earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.

EPS is set to fall by 28.4% over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 19%, which is comfortable for the company to continue in the future.

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Stewart Information Services Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from US$0.05 in 2011 to the most recent annual payment of US$1.50. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 41% per annum over that time. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. We are encouraged to see that Stewart Information Services has grown earnings per share at 54% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

We Really Like Stewart Information Services' Dividend

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. The distributions are easily covered by earnings, and there is plenty of cash being generated as well. We should point out that the earnings are expected to fall over the next 12 months, which won't be a problem if this doesn't become a trend, but could cause some turbulence in the next year. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for Stewart Information Services you should be aware of, and 1 of them is significant. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of strong dividend payers.

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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.