Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis

In This Article:

Assessing the Sustainability and Growth of Warner Music Group Corp's Dividends

Warner Music Group Corp (NASDAQ:WMG) recently announced a dividend of $0.17 per share, payable on 2023-12-01, with the ex-dividend date set for 2023-11-20. 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 Warner Music Group Corp's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Warner Music Group Corp Do?

Warner Music Group is the third largest of the three major global record labels, with Vivendi's Universal Music in first and Sony Music in second. Warner's larger segment, recorded music, consists of iconic labels like Atlantic Records, Warner Records, and Parlophone Records and popular artists such as Ed Sheeran, Cardi B, Dua Lipa, and Blake Shelton. Warner Chappell, the firm's publishing arm, is the home to over 65,000 composers and songwriters with over 1 million copyrights represented. Warner is controlled by Access Industries, which owns an 84% economic interest and 99% of voting rights.

Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis
Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend History

Warner Music Group Corp has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2020. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis
Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis

Breaking Down Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Warner Music Group Corp currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.04% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 2.14%. This suggests an expectation of increased dividend payments over the next 12 months. Over the past three years, Warner Music Group Corp's annual dividend growth rate was 75.60%. Based on Warner Music Group Corp's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Warner Music Group Corp stock as of today is approximately 2.04%.

Warner Music Group Corp's Dividend Analysis
Warner Music Group Corp'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 2023-09-30, Warner Music Group Corp's dividend payout ratio is 0.79, which may suggest that the company's dividend may not be sustainable. Warner Music Group Corp's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks Warner Music Group Corp's profitability 6 out of 10 as of 2023-09-30, suggesting fair profitability. The company has reported net profit in 7 years out of the past 10 years.