Enel (BIT:ENEL) Is Increasing Its Dividend To €0.20

Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 26th of July to €0.20. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 6.3%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

See our latest analysis for Enel

Enel's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Before this announcement, Enel was paying out 134% of what it was earning, and not generating any free cash flows either. Paying out such a large dividend compared to earnings while also not generating free cash flows is a major warning sign for the sustainability of the dividend as these levels are certainly a bit high.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 118.5%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 68%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was €0.26 in 2013, and the most recent fiscal year payment was €0.40. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 4.4% over that duration. We're glad to see the dividend has risen, but with a limited rate of growth and fluctuations in the payments the total shareholder return may be limited.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. In the last five years, Enel's earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 4.8% per annum. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. Earnings are forecast to grow over the next 12 months and if that happens we could still be a little bit cautious until it becomes a pattern.

We're Not Big Fans Of Enel's Dividend

In conclusion, we have some concerns about this dividend, even though it being raised is good. The company seems to be stretching itself a bit to make such big payments, but it doesn't appear they can be consistent over time. The dividend doesn't inspire confidence that it will provide solid income in the future.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Enel (of which 2 are concerning!) you should know about. 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.