StrongPoint's (OB:STRO) Dividend Will Be Increased To kr0.80

StrongPoint ASA (OB:STRO) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 1st of January to kr0.80, which will be 14% higher than last year. This makes the dividend yield 3.2%, which is above the industry average.

See our latest analysis for StrongPoint

StrongPoint's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Before this announcement, StrongPoint was paying out 89% of earnings, but a comparatively small 14% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 92.9% over the next year. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 57% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.

StrongPoint Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2012, the first annual payment was kr0.25, compared to the most recent full-year payment of kr0.70. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 11% per annum 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 Has Limited Growth Potential

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. However, things aren't all that rosy. StrongPoint's earnings per share has shrunk at 14% a year over the past five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

In Summary

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think StrongPoint's payments are rock solid. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for StrongPoint that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.