Sun Life Financial's (TSE:SLF) Dividend Will Be Increased To CA$0.72

The board of Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSE:SLF) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of CA$0.72 on the 30th of December, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. This takes the annual payment to 4.7% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.

Check out the opportunities and risks within the CA Insurance industry.

Sun Life Financial's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. The last payment was quite easily covered by earnings, but it made up 123% of cash flows. This signals that the company is more focused on returning cash flow to shareholders, but it could mean that the dividend is exposed to cuts in the future.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 53.0% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 36%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Sun Life Financial Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CA$1.44 in 2012 to the most recent total annual payment of CA$2.88. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.2% 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's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Earnings has been rising at 4.5% per annum over the last five years, which admittedly is a bit slow. Sun Life Financial is struggling to find viable investments, so it is returning more to shareholders. While this isn't necessarily a negative, it definitely signals that dividend growth could be constrained in the future unless earnings start to pick up again.

Our Thoughts On Sun Life Financial's Dividend

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Sun Life Financial's payments are rock solid. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. 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 1 warning sign for Sun Life Financial 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.