Patterson-UTI Energy (NASDAQ:PTEN) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To $0.08

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTEN) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 15th of December to $0.08. The payment will take the dividend yield to 1.8%, which is in line with the average for the industry.

Check out the opportunities and risks within the US Energy Services industry.

Patterson-UTI Energy Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. Even in the absence of profits, Patterson-UTI Energy is paying a dividend. It is also not generating any free cash flow, we definitely have concerns when it comes to the sustainability of the dividend.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 103.6% over the next year. If the dividend continues on its recent course, the company could be paying out several times what it earns in the next 12 months, which could start applying pressure to the balance sheet.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $0.20 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $0.32. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.8% a year over that time. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

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. Patterson-UTI Energy's earnings per share has shrunk at 26% a year over the past five years. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. 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.

Patterson-UTI Energy's Dividend Doesn't Look Great

In summary, investors will like to be receiving a higher dividend, but we have some questions about whether it can be sustained over the long term. The company seems to be stretching itself a bit to make such big payments, but it doesn't appear they can be consistent over time. Considering all of these factors, we wouldn't rely on this dividend if we wanted to live on the income.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Patterson-UTI Energy (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing. Is Patterson-UTI Energy not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

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