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The board of Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE:HUBB) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend by 8.2% on the 16th of December to $1.32, up from last year's comparable payment of $1.22. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 1.1%.
View our latest analysis for Hubbell
Hubbell's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage
The dividend yield is a little bit low, but sustainability of the payments is also an important part of evaluating an income stock. However, prior to this announcement, Hubbell's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 33.9%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 29% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Hubbell Has A Solid Track Record
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was $2.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $4.88. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 9.3% per annum over that time. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination as it provides a nice boost to shareholder returns.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Hubbell has impressed us by growing EPS at 15% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.
We Really Like Hubbell's Dividend
Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Hubbell that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.