Azimut Holding's (BIT:AZM) Dividend Will Be Increased To €1.40

Azimut Holding S.p.A. (BIT:AZM) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 22nd of May to €1.40. This will take the annual payment to 5.6% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

See our latest analysis for Azimut Holding

Azimut Holding's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Based on the last payment, Azimut Holding was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 25.4%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 40%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was €0.70, compared to the most recent full-year payment of €1.40. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 7.2% per annum over that time. It's good to see the dividend growing at a decent rate, but the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Azimut Holding might have put its house in order since then, but we remain cautious.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. Azimut Holding has impressed us by growing EPS at 28% per year over the past five years. The company's earnings per share has grown rapidly in recent years, and it has a good balance between reinvesting and paying dividends to shareholders, so we think that Azimut Holding could prove to be a strong dividend payer.

Azimut Holding Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

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. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Azimut Holding that you should be aware of before investing. Is Azimut Holding 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.