NCC Group (LON:NCC) Has Re-Affirmed Its Dividend Of UK£0.032

NCC Group plc (LON:NCC) will pay a dividend of UK£0.032 on the 12th of November. This payment means that the dividend yield will be 1.8%, which is around the industry average.

View our latest analysis for NCC Group

NCC Group's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, NCC Group's profits didn't cover the dividend, but the company was generating enough cash instead. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 101.5% over the next year. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 73% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.

NCC Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from UK£0.022 in 2011 to the most recent annual payment of UK£0.046. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.9% 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.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. NCC Group has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 5.5% per annum. However, the payout ratio is very high, not leaving much room for growth of the dividend in the future.

The company has also been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 11% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.

Our Thoughts On NCC Group's Dividend

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, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We don't think NCC Group is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've picked out 4 warning signs for NCC Group that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of strong dividend payers.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.