IMI plc's (LON:IMI) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 16th of September to £0.083, with investors receiving 5.1% more than last year's £0.079. The payment will take the dividend yield to 1.8%, which is in line with the average for the industry.
See our latest analysis for IMI
IMI's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions
We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Before making this announcement, IMI was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 34.8%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 21%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was £0.343 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was £0.237. The dividend has shrunk at around 3.6% a year during that period. 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.
IMI Could Grow Its Dividend
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. It's encouraging to see that IMI has been growing its earnings per share at 7.3% a 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.
In Summary
Overall, it's great to see the dividend being raised and that it is still in a sustainable range. The dividend has been at reasonable levels historically, but that hasn't translated into a consistent payment. The dividend looks okay, but there have been some issues in the past, so we would be a little bit cautious.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for IMI that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is IMI not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.
About LSE:IMI
IMI
An engineering company, engages in the design, manufacturing, and servicing of engineering products in the United Kingdom, Germany, rest of Europe, the United States, rest of the Americas, China, rest of the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
Solid track record with excellent balance sheet.
