Schroders plc (LON:SDR) has announced that it will pay a dividend of £0.065 per share on the 26th of September. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 6.4%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.
Check out our latest analysis for Schroders
Schroders' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Before this announcement, Schroders was paying out 90% of earnings, but a comparatively small 40% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 42.4%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 67%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.
Schroders Has A Solid Track Record
Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from £0.0986 total annually to £0.215. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 8.1% 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
The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. It's not great to see that Schroders' earnings per share has fallen at approximately 3.6% per year over the past five years. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.
Our Thoughts On Schroders' Dividend
Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Schroders that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Schroders 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:SDR
Excellent balance sheet established dividend payer.
