Lerøy Seafood Group's (OB:LSG) Dividend Will Be Increased To kr2.50

Lerøy Seafood Group ASA (OB:LSG) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 2nd of June to kr2.50. This takes the dividend yield from 3.1% to 3.1%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

Check out our latest analysis for Lerøy Seafood Group

Lerøy Seafood Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. The last dividend was quite easily covered by Lerøy Seafood Group's earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 3.3%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 60%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least 1 cut in the last 10 years. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was kr0.70 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was kr2.50. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 14% over that duration. Despite the rapid growth in the dividend over the past number of years, we have seen the payments go down the past as well, so that makes us cautious.

Lerøy Seafood Group May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. In the last five years, Lerøy Seafood Group's earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 4.8% per annum. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.

In Summary

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Lerøy Seafood Group's payments are rock solid. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We don't think Lerøy Seafood Group is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

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. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Lerøy Seafood Group that you should be aware of before investing. Is Lerøy Seafood Group not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

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

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.