Surge Energy's (TSE:SGY) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Surge Energy Inc.'s (TSE:SGY) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to CA$0.0433 on 16th of September. This takes the dividend yield to 7.7%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

View our latest analysis for Surge Energy

Surge Energy Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Surge Energy is not generating a profit, but its free cash flows easily cover the dividend, leaving plenty for reinvestment in the business. We generally think that cash flow is more important than accounting measures of profit, so we are fairly comfortable with the dividend at this level.

The next 12 months is set to see EPS grow by 107.6%. If the dividend continues on its recent course, the company could be paying out several times what it earns in the next 12 months, which could start applying pressure to the balance sheet.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was CA$3.57, compared to the most recent full-year payment of CA$0.516. Dividend payments have fallen sharply, down 86% over that time. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

The Company Could Face Some Challenges Growing The Dividend

With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS is growing. It's encouraging to see that Surge Energy has been growing its earnings per share at 47% a year over the past five years. While the company hasn't yet recorded a profit, the growth rates are healthy. If this trajectory continues and the company can turn a profit soon, it could bode well for the dividend going forward.

In Summary

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Surge Energy's payments are rock solid. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Surge Energy that investors should take into consideration. 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.