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Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) has announced that it will be increasing its periodic dividend on the 18th of February to $0.29, which will be 2.7% higher than last year's comparable payment amount of $0.283. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.5%, which is fairly typical for the industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods' Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings
While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. The last payment made up 77% of earnings, but cash flows were much higher. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 34.8%. Assuming the dividend continues along the course it has been charting recently, our estimates show the payout ratio being 63% which brings it into quite a comfortable range.
Hormel Foods Has A Solid Track Record
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $0.40 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $1.13. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11% a year over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.
Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Hormel Foods has seen earnings per share falling at 4.3% per year over the last five years. If earnings continue declining, the company may have to make the difficult choice of reducing the dividend or even stopping it completely - the opposite of dividend growth. 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.
In Summary
In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Hormel Foods' payments are rock solid. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. We don't think Hormel Foods is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Without at least some growth in earnings per share over time, the dividend will eventually come under pressure either from competition or inflation. Businesses can change though, and we think it would make sense to see what analysts are forecasting for the company. Is Hormel Foods not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
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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.