BCE (TSE:BCE) Is Increasing Its Dividend To CA$0.9675
BCE Inc. (TSE:BCE) has announced that it will be increasing its periodic dividend on the 17th of April to CA$0.9675, which will be 5.2% higher than last year's comparable payment amount of CA$0.92. This takes the dividend yield to 6.0%, which shareholders will be pleased with.
View our latest analysis for BCE
BCE Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments
A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 124% of what it was earning. Without profits and cash flows increasing, it would be difficult for the company to continue paying the dividend at this level.
The next 12 months is set to see EPS grow by 29.5%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 101%, which probably can't continue without putting some pressure on the balance sheet.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CA$2.17 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of CA$3.68. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 5.4% over that duration. It's good to see the dividend growing at a decent rate, but the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. BCE might have put its house in order since then, but we remain cautious.
The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. BCE hasn't seen much change in its earnings per share over the last five years.
BCE'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, the dividend is not reliable enough to make this a good income stock.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for BCE you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. 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.
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