Energizer Holdings' (NYSE:ENR) Dividend Will Be $0.30

The board of Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ENR) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.30 per share on the 14th of December. This means the annual payment is 3.5% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Energizer Holdings

Energizer Holdings 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. Energizer Holdings is not generating a profit, but its free cash flows easily cover the dividend, leaving plenty for reinvestment in the business. In general, cash flows are more important than the more traditional measures of profit so we feel pretty comfortable with the dividend at this level.

Looking forward, earnings per share could fall by 41.5% over the next year if the trend of the last few years can't be broken. This means that the company won't turn a profit over the next year, but with healthy cash flows at the moment the dividend could still be okay to continue.

Energizer Holdings Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

Even though the company has been paying a consistent dividend for a while, we would like to see a few more years before we feel comfortable relying on it. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from $1.00 total annually to $1.20. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 2.3% per annum over that time. Modest dividend growth is good to see, especially with the payments being relatively stable. However, the payment history is relatively short and we wouldn't want to rely on this dividend too much.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

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. Energizer Holdings' EPS has fallen by approximately 41% per year during 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.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

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 2 warning signs for Energizer Holdings (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing. Is Energizer Holdings not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.