Cyfrowy Polsat (WSE:CPS) Will Pay A Dividend Of PLN1.20

The board of Cyfrowy Polsat S.A. (WSE:CPS) has announced that it will pay a dividend of PLN1.20 per share on the 15th of December. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 6.2%.

See our latest analysis for Cyfrowy Polsat

Cyfrowy Polsat's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Before making this announcement, Cyfrowy Polsat was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 72.1%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 79%, which is definitely on the higher side.

Cyfrowy Polsat's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Cyfrowy Polsat has been paying dividends for a while, but the track record isn't stellar. If the company cuts once, it definitely isn't argument against the possibility of it cutting in the future. The dividend has gone from an annual total of PLN0.32 in 2017 to the most recent total annual payment of PLN1.20. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 30% per annum over that time. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.

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. It's encouraging to see that Cyfrowy Polsat has been growing its earnings per share at 30% a year over the past five years. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.

Cyfrowy Polsat Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think that this is a great income investment, and we think that maintaining the dividend this year may have been a conservative choice. The distributions are easily covered by earnings, and there is plenty of cash being generated as well. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've identified 4 warning signs for Cyfrowy Polsat (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing. 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.