Healthcare Services Group (NASDAQ:HCSG) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To US$0.21

Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HCSG) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 23rd of December to US$0.21. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 4.1%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

See our latest analysis for Healthcare Services Group

Healthcare Services Group Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. The last payment made up 87% of earnings, but cash flows were much higher. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 10.8%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could reach 100%, which could put the dividend under pressure if earnings don't start to improve.

Healthcare Services Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was US$0.63 in 2011, and the most recent fiscal year payment was US$0.84. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 3.0% per annum over that time. Dividends have grown relatively slowly, which is not great, but some investors may value the relative consistency of the dividend.

Healthcare Services Group May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Healthcare Services Group hasn't seen much change in its earnings per share over the last five years. There are exceptions, but limited earnings growth and a high payout ratio can signal that a company has reached maturity. When a company prefers to pay out cash to its shareholders instead of reinvesting it, this can often say a lot about that company's dividend prospects.

Our Thoughts On Healthcare Services Group's Dividend

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Healthcare Services Group will make a great income stock. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Healthcare Services Group that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.

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.

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