ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) has announced that it will pay a dividend of US$0.035 per share on the 5th of October. This payment means that the dividend yield will be 1.5%, which is around the industry average.

View our latest analysis for ADT

ADT Might Find It Hard To Continue The Dividend

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Even though ADT isn't generating a profit, it is generating healthy free cash flows that easily cover the dividend. We generally think that cash flow is more important than accounting measures of profit, so we are fairly comfortable with the dividend at this level.

Analysts are expecting EPS to grow by 33.5% over the next 12 months. It's encouraging to see things moving in the right direction, but this probably won't be enough for the company to turn a profit. The positive free cash flows give us some comfort, however, that the dividend could continue to be sustained.

ADT Is Still Building Its Track Record

The dividend has been pretty stable looking back, but the company hasn't been paying one for very long. This makes it tough to judge how it would fare through a full economic cycle. The payments haven't really changed that much since 3 years ago. Modest dividend growth is good to see, especially with the payments being relatively stable. However, the payment history is relatively short and we wouldn't want to rely on this dividend too much.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, things aren't all that rosy. ADT's EPS has fallen by approximately 15% per year during the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about ADT's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 3 warning signs for ADT that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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