Barnes Group's (NYSE:B) Dividend Will Be $0.16

Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE:B) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.16 per share on the 9th of June. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 1.6%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Barnes Group

Barnes Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 530% of what it was earning, however the dividend was quite comfortably covered by free cash flows at a cash payout ratio of only 41%. Given that the dividend is a cash outflow, we think that cash is more important than accounting measures of profit when assessing the dividend, so this is a mitigating factor.

Analysts expect a massive rise in earnings per share in the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate that the payout ratio could reach 22%, which is in a comfortable range for us.

Barnes Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2013, the annual payment back then was $0.40, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $0.64. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.8% a year over that time. Slow and steady dividend growth might not sound that exciting, but dividends have been stable for ten years, which we think makes this a fairly attractive offer.

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. Over the past five years, it looks as though Barnes Group's EPS has declined at around 36% a year. This steep decline can indicate that the business is going through a tough time, which could constrain its ability to pay a larger dividend each year in 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

Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

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. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Barnes Group that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. 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.