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Genesis Energy Limited (NZSE:GNE) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 6th of April to NZ$0.1035. This takes the dividend yield to 6.1%, which shareholders will be pleased with.
Check out our latest analysis for Genesis Energy
Genesis Energy Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments
We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Genesis Energy'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 fall by 62.8%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could reach over 200%, which could put the dividend under pressure if earnings don't start to improve.
Genesis Energy Doesn't Have A Long Payment History
It is great to see that Genesis Energy has been paying a stable dividend for a number of years now, however we want to be a bit cautious about whether this will remain true through a full economic cycle. The dividend has gone from an annual total of NZ$0.132 in 2015 to the most recent total annual payment of NZ$0.176. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 3.7% per annum over that time. 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.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Genesis Energy has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 20% per annum. The company is paying a reasonable amount of earnings to shareholders, and is growing earnings at a decent rate so we think it could be a decent dividend stock.
Genesis Energy Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. The earnings easily cover the company's distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
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. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Genesis Energy (1 can't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing. Is Genesis Energy not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.