Advertisement
U.S. markets close in 2 hours 28 minutes
  • S&P 500

    5,249.81
    +1.32 (+0.03%)
     
  • Dow 30

    39,760.01
    -0.07 (-0.00%)
     
  • Nasdaq

    16,370.97
    -28.55 (-0.17%)
     
  • Russell 2000

    2,125.92
    +11.57 (+0.55%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    82.78
    +1.43 (+1.76%)
     
  • Gold

    2,239.10
    +26.40 (+1.19%)
     
  • Silver

    24.91
    +0.16 (+0.64%)
     
  • EUR/USD

    1.0800
    -0.0029 (-0.27%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.1980
    +0.0020 (+0.05%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2628
    -0.0010 (-0.08%)
     
  • USD/JPY

    151.3690
    +0.1230 (+0.08%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    70,670.66
    +1,541.98 (+2.23%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Nikkei 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     

Henry Boot (LON:BOOT) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At UK£0.024

Henry Boot PLC's (LON:BOOT) dividend will be increasing on the 15th of October to UK£0.024, with investors receiving 10% more than last year. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 2.0%.

See our latest analysis for Henry Boot

Henry Boot's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Prior to this announcement, Henry Boot's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 4.6%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 29% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2011, the first annual payment was UK£0.043, compared to the most recent full-year payment of UK£0.057. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 2.9% a year over that time. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.

Henry Boot May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Henry Boot has seen earnings per share falling at 2.5% 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 forecast to grow over the next 12 months and if that happens we could still be a little bit cautious until it becomes a pattern.

Henry Boot's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While Henry Boot is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We don't think Henry Boot is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

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. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Henry Boot that you should be aware of before investing. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a solid dividend.

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.

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

Advertisement