Astral (NSE:ASTRAL) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of ₹2.25

The board of Astral Limited (NSE:ASTRAL) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 22nd of September, with investors receiving ₹2.25 per share. Including this payment, the dividend yield on the stock will be 0.2%, which is a modest boost for shareholders' returns.

See our latest analysis for Astral

Astral's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Before making this announcement, Astral was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 102.1%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 12% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Astral 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 ₹0.146 total annually to ₹3.75. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 38% 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 who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. It's encouraging to see that Astral has been growing its earnings per share at 23% a year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

We Really Like Astral's Dividend

Overall, we like to see the dividend staying consistent, and we think Astral might even raise payments in the future. 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. 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 Astral that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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.

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