Yahoo Finance Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To AU$0.10
Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX:NST) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 29th of March to AU$0.10. This takes the annual payment to 2.3% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.
See our latest analysis for Northern Star Resources
Northern Star Resources' Payment Has 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, Northern Star Resources' earnings easily cover the dividend. 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 55.1% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 55%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.
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 AU$0.025 in 2012 to the most recent annual payment of AU$0.20. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 23% per annum over that time. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Northern Star Resources has impressed us by growing EPS at 26% per year over the past five years. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.
We'd also point out that Northern Star Resources has issued stock equal to 57% of shares outstanding. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.
Northern Star Resources Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Northern Star Resources is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The earnings easily cover the company's distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. If earnings do fall over the next 12 months, the dividend could be buffeted a little bit, but we don't think it should cause too much of a problem in the long term. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've identified 4 warning signs for Northern Star Resources (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list 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.
