CURO Group Holdings (NYSE:CURO) Has Re-Affirmed Its Dividend Of US$0.11

CURO Group Holdings Corp. (NYSE:CURO) will pay a dividend of US$0.11 on the 23rd of May. The dividend yield will be 4.8% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. CURO Group Holdings' stock price has reduced by 34% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.

Check out our latest analysis for CURO Group Holdings

CURO Group Holdings' Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, CURO Group Holdings' dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 77.1%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 29% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

CURO Group Holdings Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

The dividend has been pretty stable looking back, but the company hasn't been paying one for very long. This makes it tough to judge how it would fare through a full economic cycle. Since 2020, the dividend has gone from US$0.22 to US$0.44. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 41% a year over that time. It is always nice to see strong dividend growth, but with such a short payment history we wouldn't be inclined to rely on it until a longer track record can be developed.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. Over the past five years, it looks as though CURO Group Holdings' EPS has declined at around 9.9% a year. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. However, the next year is actually looking up, with earnings set to rise. We would just wait until it becomes a pattern before getting too excited.

Our Thoughts On CURO Group Holdings' Dividend

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 payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, CURO Group Holdings has 5 warning signs (and 1 which is concerning) we think you should know about. 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.