Carpenter Technology's (NYSE:CRS) Dividend Will Be $0.20

The board of Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.20 per share on the 2nd of March. The dividend yield is 1.8% based on this payment, which is a little bit low compared to the other companies in the industry.

View our latest analysis for Carpenter Technology

Carpenter Technology's Distributions May Be Difficult To Sustain

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Even though Carpenter Technology is not generating a profit, it is still paying a dividend. Along with this, it is also not generating free cash flows, which raises concerns about the sustainability of the dividend.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 73.7%. The company seems to be going down the right path, but it will take a little bit longer than a year to cross over into profitability. Unless this can be done in short order, the dividend might be difficult to sustain.

Carpenter Technology Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from $0.72 total annually to $0.80. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 1.1% per annum over that time. Slow and steady dividend growth might not sound that exciting, but dividends have been stable for ten years, which we think makes this a fairly attractive offer.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Over the past five years, it looks as though Carpenter Technology's EPS has declined at around 54% a year. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. 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.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. In the past the payments have been stable, but we think the company is paying out too much for this to continue for the long term. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

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. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Carpenter Technology that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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.