In This Article:
The board of Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.37 per share on the 31st of October. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 3.0%.
See our latest analysis for Campbell Soup
Campbell Soup's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Prior to this announcement, Campbell Soup's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 29.3%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 46%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Campbell Soup Has A Solid Track Record
The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $1.16 in 2012 to the most recent total annual payment of $1.48. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.5% over that duration. While the consistency in the dividend payments is impressive, we think the relatively slow rate of growth is less attractive.
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. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. Campbell Soup has seen earnings per share falling at 3.5% per year over the last five years. A modest decline in earnings isn't great, and it makes it quite unlikely that the dividend will grow in the future unless that trend can be reversed. 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.
Our Thoughts On Campbell Soup's Dividend
In summary, we are pleased with the dividend remaining consistent, and we think there is a good chance of this continuing in the future. The earnings coverage is acceptable for now, but with earnings on the decline we would definitely keep an eye on the payout ratio. The payment isn't stellar, but it could make a decent addition to a dividend portfolio.
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 Campbell Soup that you should be aware of before investing. Is Campbell Soup not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.