Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis

In This Article:

An In-Depth Look at EVV's Dividend Performance and Future Prospects

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund (EVV) recently announced a dividend of $0.08 per share, payable on 2024-06-20, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-06-12. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund Do?

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The company's investment objective is to provide a high level of current income. The Fund may, as a secondary objective, also seek capital appreciation. The Fund invests predominantly in Senior Floating-Rate Loans, Debt Obligations, Equity Securities, Derivatives as well as Foreign Securities and Currencies. The Fund invests in various industries, including aerospace and defense, automotive, building and development, healthcare, and leisure among others.

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis
Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend History

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2003. Dividends are currently distributed on a monthly basis. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis
Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis

Breaking Down Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 9.46% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 9.52%. This suggests an expectation of increased dividend payments over the next 12 months. Over the past three years, Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's annual dividend growth rate was -7.90%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 1.60% per year. And over the past decade, Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at -0.80%.

Based on Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund stock as of today is approximately 10.24%.

Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis
Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2024-03-31, Eaton Vance Ltd Duration Income Fund's dividend payout ratio is 0.90. And this may suggest that the company's dividend may not be sustainable.