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Washington H. Soul Pattinson's (ASX:SOL) Dividend Will Be Increased To AU$0.36

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited (ASX:SOL) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 14th of December to AU$0.36. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 1.8%.

Check out our latest analysis for Washington H. Soul Pattinson

Washington H. Soul Pattinson's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, Washington H. Soul Pattinson was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 49.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 57% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Washington H. Soul Pattinson Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2011, the first annual payment was AU$0.34, compared to the most recent full-year payment of AU$0.62. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.2% a year over that time. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination as it provides a nice boost to shareholder returns.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Earnings per share has been crawling upwards at 3.9% per year. Washington H. Soul Pattinson is struggling to find viable investments, so it is returning more to shareholders. While this isn't necessarily a negative, it definitely signals that dividend growth could be constrained in the future unless earnings start to pick up again.

The company has also been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 51% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Regularly doing this can be detrimental - it's hard to grow dividends per share when new shares are regularly being created.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

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.

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. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Washington H. Soul Pattinson you should be aware of, and 2 of them can't be ignored. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of strong dividend payers.

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.

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