Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) Will Pay A Dividend Of US$0.24

Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) has announced that it will pay a dividend of US$0.24 per share on the 1st of July. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 3.4%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

View our latest analysis for Paramount Global

Paramount Global's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Paramount Global is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 57.5%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 41%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.

Paramount Global Has A Solid Track Record

Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2012, the first annual payment was US$0.40, compared to the most recent full-year payment of US$0.96. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 9.1% over that duration. Companies like this can be very valuable over the long term, if the decent rate of growth can be maintained.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Paramount Global has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 10% per annum. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

Our Thoughts On Paramount Global's 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. While the low payout ratio is redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've identified 5 warning signs for Paramount Global (2 don't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing. 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.