ADTRAN Holdings (NASDAQ:ADTN) Is Paying Out A Dividend Of $0.09
The board of ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.09 per share on the 6th of December. The dividend yield is 1.9% based on this payment, which is a little bit low compared to the other companies in the industry.
View our latest analysis for ADTRAN Holdings
ADTRAN Holdings Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments
While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Despite not generating a profit, ADTRAN Holdings is still 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 114.3% over the next year. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, it could start putting pressure on the balance sheet with the payout ratio getting very high over the next year.
ADTRAN Holdings Has A Solid Track Record
Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. The most recent annual payment of $0.36 is about the same as the annual payment 10 years ago. 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.
The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential
The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, things aren't all that rosy. ADTRAN Holdings' earnings per share has shrunk at 17% a year over the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.
An additional note is that the company has been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 59% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.
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. We can't deny that the payments have been very stable, but we are a little bit worried about the very high payout ratio. 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. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 3 warning signs for ADTRAN Holdings 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.
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