Exco Technologies (TSE:XTC) Has Announced A Dividend Of CA$0.105

Exco Technologies Limited (TSE:XTC) will pay a dividend of CA$0.105 on the 30th of September. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 4.8%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Exco Technologies

Exco Technologies' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Before making this announcement, Exco Technologies was paying out a fairly large proportion of earnings, and it wasn't generating positive free cash flows either. This is a pretty unsustainable practice, and could be risky if continued for the long term.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 72.2%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 49%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.

Exco Technologies Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CA$0.12 in 2012 to the most recent total annual payment of CA$0.42. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13% a year 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 Has Limited Growth Potential

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. Earnings per share has been sinking by 13% over the last five years. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Exco Technologies' payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. Although they have been consistent in the past, we think the payments are a little high to be sustained. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Exco Technologies that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Exco Technologies not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

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