Aptitude Software Group (LON:APTD) Will Pay A Dividend Of £0.018

The board of Aptitude Software Group plc (LON:APTD) has announced that it will pay a dividend of £0.018 per share on the 25th of August. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 1.9%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

See our latest analysis for Aptitude Software Group

Aptitude Software Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 128% of what it was earning, however the dividend was quite comfortably covered by free cash flows at a cash payout ratio of only 57%. Given that the dividend is a cash outflow, we think that cash is more important than accounting measures of profit when assessing the dividend, so this is a mitigating factor.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 193.9%. Assuming the dividend continues along the course it has been charting recently, our estimates show the payout ratio being 45% which brings it into quite a comfortable range.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of £0.125 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of £0.054. The dividend has shrunk at around 8.0% a year during that period. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Given that the track record hasn't been stellar, we really want to see earnings per share growing over time. Aptitude Software Group's EPS has fallen by approximately 24% per year during the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. On the bright side, earnings are predicted to gain some ground over the next year, but until this turns into a pattern we wouldn't be feeling too comfortable.

Aptitude Software Group's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Aptitude Software Group that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.