ATN International (NASDAQ:ATNI) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of $0.24
ATN International, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATNI) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.24 per share on the 5th of April. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 3.0%.
View our latest analysis for ATN International
ATN International's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions
Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Despite not generating a profit, ATN International 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.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise exponentially over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio will be 5.2%, which makes us pretty comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was $1.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $0.96. Payments have been decreasing at a very slow pace in this time period. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.
The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. ATN International's earnings per share has shrunk at 46% a year over 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. 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.
ATN International's Dividend Doesn't Look Great
In summary, investors will like to be receiving a higher dividend, but we have some questions about whether it can be sustained over the long term. The company's earnings aren't high enough to be making such big distributions, and it isn't backed up by strong growth or consistency either. Overall, this doesn't get us very excited from an income standpoint.
Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for ATN International (of which 2 are significant!) you should know about. 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.
