Ashtead Group's (LON:AHT) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's

Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) will increase its dividend on the 21st of September to UK£0.35. Despite this raise, the dividend yield of 0.8% is only a modest boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Ashtead Group

Ashtead Group's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. Before making this announcement, Ashtead Group was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 16.5%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 27% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Ashtead Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2011, the dividend has gone from UK£0.029 to UK£0.42. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 31% a year 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

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. It's encouraging to see Ashtead Group has been growing its earnings per share at 14% a year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

Ashtead Group Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Ashtead Group that investors should take into consideration. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of strong dividend payers.

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