Loblaw Companies (TSE:L) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year

The board of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 1st of July to CA$0.41. This takes the annual payment to 1.3% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.

See our latest analysis for Loblaw Companies

Loblaw Companies' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. However, prior to this announcement, Loblaw Companies' dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 6.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 29%, which is comfortable for the company to continue in the future.

Loblaw Companies Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was CA$0.84 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was CA$1.46. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 5.7% a year over that time. The growth of the dividend has been pretty reliable, so we think this can offer investors some nice additional income in their portfolio.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. We are encouraged to see that Loblaw Companies has grown earnings per share at 19% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio and decent growth suggests that the company is reinvesting well, and it also has plenty of room to increase the dividend over time.

We Really Like Loblaw Companies' Dividend

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 generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. We should point out that the earnings are expected to fall over the next 12 months, which won't be a problem if this doesn't become a trend, but could cause some turbulence in the next year. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Loblaw Companies you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit unpleasant. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.