Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) Is Paying Out A Dividend Of $0.4957

Cardinal Health, Inc.'s (NYSE:CAH) investors are due to receive a payment of $0.4957 per share on 15th of January. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 2.7%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

Our analysis indicates that CAH is potentially undervalued!

Cardinal Health Might Find It Hard To Continue The Dividend

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. While Cardinal Health is not profitable, it is paying out less than 75% of its free cash flow, which means that there is plenty left over for reinvestment into the business. This gives us some comfort about the level of the dividend payments.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to expand by 62.7% over the next year. It's encouraging to see things moving in the right direction, but this probably won't be enough for the company to turn a profit. The healthy cash flows are definitely a good sign though, so we wouldn't panic just yet, especially with the earnings growing.

Cardinal Health Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $0.86 in 2012 to the most recent total annual payment of $1.98. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 8.7% a year over that time. The growth of the dividend has been pretty reliable, so we think this can offer investors some nice additional income in their portfolio.

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. Earnings per share has been sinking by 15% over the last five years. 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. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend.

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 has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. 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. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 4 warning signs for Cardinal Health that investors should take into consideration. 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.