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Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) Looks Interesting, And It's About To Pay A Dividend
Readers hoping to buy Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. You will need to purchase shares before the 16th of January to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 5th of February.
Ashtead Group's next dividend payment will be UK£0.071 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of UK£0.40 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Ashtead Group has a trailing yield of approximately 1.6% on its current stock price of £24.52. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Ashtead Group's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to investigate whether Ashtead Group can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.
See our latest analysis for Ashtead Group
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Ashtead Group has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 23% of its income after tax. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Fortunately, it paid out only 33% of its free cash flow in the past year.
It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. That's why it's comforting to see Ashtead Group's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 31% per annum for the past five years. Ashtead Group is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. Companies with growing earnings and low payout ratios are often the best long-term dividend stocks, as the company can both grow its earnings and increase the percentage of earnings that it pays out, essentially multiplying the dividend.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the past ten years, Ashtead Group has increased its dividend at approximately 32% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.
Final Takeaway
From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Ashtead Group? Ashtead Group has been growing earnings at a rapid rate, and has a conservatively low payout ratio, implying that it is reinvesting heavily in its business; a sterling combination. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.
Wondering what the future holds for Ashtead Group? See what the 15 analysts we track are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow
We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
About LSE:AHT
Ashtead Group
Engages in the construction, industrial, and general equipment rental business under the Sunbelt Rentals brand name in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Adequate balance sheet and fair value.
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