Yahoo Finance BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) Has Announced That Its Dividend Will Be Reduced To A$0.25
BlueScope Steel Limited's (ASX:BSL) dividend is being reduced from last year's payment covering the same period to A$0.25 on the 12th of October. This means that the annual payment is 2.9% of the current stock price, which is lower than what the rest of the industry is paying.
Check out our latest analysis for BlueScope Steel
BlueScope Steel's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. However, prior to this announcement, BlueScope Steel'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.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 67.5% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 32%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.
BlueScope Steel's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
It's comforting to see that BlueScope Steel has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. This makes us cautious about the consistency of the dividend over a full economic cycle. Since 2015, the annual payment back then was A$0.06, compared to the most recent full-year payment of A$0.50. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 35% per annum over that time. BlueScope Steel has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. BlueScope Steel has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 39% per annum. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.
BlueScope Steel Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
Overall, we think that BlueScope Steel could be a great option for a dividend investment, although we would have preferred if the dividend wasn't cut this year. By reducing the dividend, pressure will be taken off the balance sheet, which could help the dividend to be consistent in the future. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for BlueScope Steel you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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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.
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