K-Bro Linen's (TSE:KBL) Dividend Will Be CA$0.10

K-Bro Linen Inc.'s (TSE:KBL) investors are due to receive a payment of CA$0.10 per share on 15th of December. The dividend yield will be 4.2% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

Check out our latest analysis for K-Bro Linen

K-Bro Linen Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. Before making this announcement, K-Bro Linen's dividend was higher than its profits, but the free cash flows quite comfortably covered it. Given that the dividend is a cash outflow, we think that cash is more important than accounting measures of profit when assessing the dividend, so this is a mitigating factor.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 138.3% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 96%, which probably can't continue without putting some pressure on the balance sheet.

K-Bro Linen Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2012, the annual payment back then was CA$1.1, compared to the most recent full-year payment of CA$1.20. Its dividends have grown at less than 1% per annum over this time frame. Dividends have grown relatively slowly, which is not great, but some investors may value the relative consistency of the dividend.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. K-Bro Linen's earnings per share has shrunk at 15% a year over the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend.

In Summary

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for K-Bro Linen that you should be aware of before investing. 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.