Edgewell Personal Care (NYSE:EPC) Has Re-Affirmed Its Dividend Of US$0.15

Edgewell Personal Care Company's (NYSE:EPC) investors are due to receive a payment of US$0.15 per share on 7th of July. The dividend yield will be 1.7% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

View our latest analysis for Edgewell Personal Care

Edgewell Personal Care's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Before making this announcement, Edgewell Personal Care was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 8.3%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 21% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least 1 cut in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from US$1.60 to US$0.60. The dividend has shrunk at around 9.3% a year during that period. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. Edgewell Personal Care has seen earnings per share falling at 7.4% per year over the last five years. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.

In Summary

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Edgewell Personal Care's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

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. To that end, Edgewell Personal Care has 5 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.