Mercury NZ's (NZSE:MCY) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

The board of Mercury NZ Limited (NZSE:MCY) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of NZ$0.1541 on the 29th of September, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 3.6%, which is below the industry average.

Check out our latest analysis for Mercury NZ

Mercury NZ Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. Before making this announcement, the company's dividend was much higher than its earnings. Without profits and cash flows increasing, it would be difficult for the company to continue paying the dividend at this level.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 172.8% over the next year. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, it could start putting pressure on the balance sheet with the payout ratio reaching 136% over the next year.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of NZ$0.13 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of NZ$0.233. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.0% a year over that time. We like to see dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Over the past five years, it looks as though Mercury NZ's EPS has declined at around 15% a year. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. 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.

We're Not Big Fans Of Mercury NZ's Dividend

In conclusion, we have some concerns about this dividend, even though it being raised is good. The company's earnings aren't high enough to be making such big distributions, and it isn't backed up by strong growth or consistency either. Overall, this doesn't get us very excited from an income standpoint.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Mercury NZ you should be aware of, and 1 of them is concerning. 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.