EQB (TSE:EQB) Is Increasing Its Dividend To CA$0.40

EQB Inc. (TSE:EQB) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 29th of December to CA$0.40. This takes the annual payment to 1.8% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.

Check out our latest analysis for EQB

EQB's Payment Expected To Have Solid Earnings Coverage

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible.

EQB has established itself as a dividend paying company with over 10 years history of distributing earnings to shareholders. While past records don't necessarily translate into future results, the company's payout ratio of 14% also shows that EQB is able to comfortably pay dividends.

The next 3 years are set to see EPS grow by 48.2%. Analysts estimate the future payout ratio will be 15% over the same time period, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

EQB Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from CA$0.28 total annually to CA$1.52. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 18% per annum over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. EQB has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 15% per annum. EQB definitely has the potential to grow its dividend in the future with earnings on an uptrend and a low payout ratio.

EQB Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. 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. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for EQB that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.