Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ:WERN) Has Announced A Dividend Of $0.14

Werner Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WERN) will pay a dividend of $0.14 on the 17th of July. This payment means that the dividend yield will be 1.6%, which is around the industry average.

View our latest analysis for Werner Enterprises

Werner Enterprises' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Based on the last payment, Werner Enterprises' earnings were much higher than the dividend, but it wasn't converting those earnings into cash flow. No cash flows could definitely make returning cash to shareholders difficult, or at least mean the balance sheet will come under pressure.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 78.0%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 26% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

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Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from $1.70 total annually to $0.56. The dividend has fallen 67% over that 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.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. Earnings per share has been sinking by 12% 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, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

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 instance, we've picked out 3 warning signs for Werner Enterprises that investors should take into consideration. 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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