Diversified United Investment (ASX:DUI) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of AU$0.07

Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) has announced that it will pay a dividend of AU$0.07 per share on the 18th of March. This payment means that the dividend yield will be 3.1%, which is around the industry average.

See our latest analysis for Diversified United Investment

Diversified United Investment's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. The last dividend made up a very large portion of earnings and also represented 83% of free cash flows. This indicates that the company is more focused on returning cash to shareholders than growing the business, but we don't think that there are necessarily signs that the dividend might be unsustainable.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 3.4% if the company continues along the path it has been on recently. If the dividend continues growing along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 88%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.

Diversified United Investment Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2012, the first annual payment was AU$0.13, compared to the most recent full-year payment of AU$0.15. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 1.8% a year over that time. While the consistency in the dividend payments is impressive, we think the relatively slow rate of growth is less attractive.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, Diversified United Investment has only grown its earnings per share at 3.4% per annum over the past five years. Diversified United Investment's earnings per share has barely grown, which is not ideal - perhaps this is why the company pays out the majority of its earnings to shareholders. That's fine as far as it goes, but we're less enthusiastic as this often signals that the dividend is likely to grow slower in the future.

In Summary

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. In the past the payments have been stable, but we think the company is paying out too much for this to continue for the long term. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Diversified United Investment that you should be aware of before investing. Is Diversified United Investment not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

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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.