Excelsior Capital's (ASX:ECL) Dividend Will Be Increased To A$0.03
The board of Excelsior Capital Limited (ASX:ECL) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend by 50% on the 26th of September to A$0.03, up from last year's comparable payment of A$0.02. This will take the annual payment to 2.0% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.
While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. Investors will be pleased to see that Excelsior Capital's stock price has increased by 32% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.
See our latest analysis for Excelsior Capital
Excelsior Capital's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. However, prior to this announcement, Excelsior Capital's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 27.2% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 13% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Excelsior Capital's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
It's comforting to see that Excelsior Capital has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. Due to this, we are a little bit cautious about the dividend consistency over a full economic cycle. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from A$0.06 total annually to A$0.04. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 4.4% per year. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
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. Excelsior Capital has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 27% per annum. Earnings per share is growing at a solid clip, and the payout ratio is low which we think is an ideal combination in a dividend stock as the company can quite easily raise the dividend in the future.
We Really Like Excelsior Capital's Dividend
Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
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. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Excelsior Capital that investors should take into consideration. 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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