Worthington Industries (NYSE:WOR) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year

Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WOR) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 29th of September to $0.32. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 1.7%, which is below the industry average.

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 Worthington Industries' stock price has increased by 35% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.

Check out our latest analysis for Worthington Industries

Worthington Industries' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Before making this announcement, Worthington Industries was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 30.1%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 20%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

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Worthington Industries Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from $0.52 total annually to $1.28. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 9.4% over that duration. The growth of the dividend has been pretty reliable, so we think this can offer investors some nice additional income in their portfolio.

Worthington Industries Could Grow Its Dividend

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. We are encouraged to see that Worthington Industries has grown earnings per share at 9.9% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

Worthington Industries 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. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Worthington Industries that you should be aware of before investing. 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.