Yahoo Finance Viva Energy Group (ASX:VEA) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To A$0.137
Viva Energy Group Limited's (ASX:VEA) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to A$0.137 on 22nd of September. Despite this raise, the dividend yield of 2.2% is only a modest boost to shareholder returns.
See our latest analysis for Viva Energy Group
Viva Energy Group Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments
If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. The last dividend was quite easily covered by Viva Energy Group's earnings. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 39.5% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could reach 115%, which could put the dividend under pressure if earnings don't start to improve.
Viva Energy Group's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
Even in its short history, we have seen the dividend cut. The annual payment during the last 4 years was A$0.0589 in 2018, and the most recent fiscal year payment was A$0.064. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 2.1% a year over that time. It's encouraging to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth anyway, which makes this less attractive as an income investment.
The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. Over the past five years, it looks as though Viva Energy Group's EPS has declined at around 23% a year. This steep decline can indicate that the business is going through a tough time, which could constrain its ability to pay a larger dividend each year in the future.
In Summary
In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Viva Energy Group's payments are rock solid. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Viva Energy Group that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection 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.
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