Yahoo Finance Morgan Advanced Materials (LON:MGAM) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To £0.053
Morgan Advanced Materials plc (LON:MGAM) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 18th of November to £0.053. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 4.7%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.
See our latest analysis for Morgan Advanced Materials
Morgan Advanced Materials' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions
A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. The last dividend was quite comfortably covered by Morgan Advanced Materials' earnings, but it was a bit tighter on the cash flow front. The company is clearly earning enough to pay this type of dividend, but it is definitely focused on returning cash to shareholders, rather than growing the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 26.1% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 32% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was £0.0925 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was £0.112. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 1.9% per annum over that time. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.
Dividend Growth Is Doubtful
Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Morgan Advanced Materials has seen earnings per share falling at 5.9% per year over the last five years. A modest decline in earnings isn't great, and it makes it quite unlikely that the dividend will grow in the future unless that trend can be reversed. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.
Our Thoughts On Morgan Advanced Materials' Dividend
Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. The low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, but generally we are not too happy with the payments Morgan Advanced Materials has been making. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. 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 Morgan Advanced Materials that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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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