Yahoo Finance CenterPoint Energy's (NYSE:CNP) Dividend Will Be Increased To $0.19
The board of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of $0.19 on the 8th of June, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. Despite this raise, the dividend yield of 2.5% is only a modest boost to shareholder returns.
See our latest analysis for CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
It would be nice for the yield to be higher, but we should also check if higher levels of dividend payment would be sustainable. Before making this announcement, CenterPoint Energy was earning enough to cover the dividend, but it wasn't generating any free cash flows. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 8.0%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 39% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
Dividend Volatility
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $0.81 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of $0.76. Payments have been decreasing at a very slow pace in this time period. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.
The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Earnings per share has been sinking by 17% over the last five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. On the bright side, earnings are predicted to gain some ground over the next year, but until this turns into a pattern we wouldn't be feeling too comfortable.
The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think CenterPoint Energy will make a great income stock. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for CenterPoint Energy (of which 1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) you should know about. 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.
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