Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) Will Pay A Dividend Of $0.40

The board of Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.40 per share on the 27th of October. This makes the dividend yield 8.7%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

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. Foot Locker's stock price has reduced by 31% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.

View our latest analysis for Foot Locker

Foot Locker's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, earnings were actually smaller than the dividend, and the company was actually spending more cash than it was making. Paying out such a large dividend compared to earnings while also not generating any free cash flow would definitely be difficult to keep up.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 103.9%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 52%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.

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Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from $0.72 total annually to $1.60. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 8.3% per annum over that time. A reasonable rate of dividend growth is good to see, but we're wary that the dividend history is not as solid as we'd like, having been cut at least once.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Foot Locker has seen earnings per share falling at 9.0% per year over the last five years. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.

Foot Locker's Dividend Doesn't Look Great

Overall, while some might be pleased that the dividend wasn't cut, we think this may help Foot Locker make more consistent payments in the future. The company isn't making enough to be paying as much as it is, and the other factors don't look particularly promising either. The dividend doesn't inspire confidence that it will provide solid income in the future.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. To that end, Foot Locker has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) 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.

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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.