Here's What We Like About DHT Holdings' (NYSE:DHT) Upcoming Dividend
Readers hoping to buy DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. You can purchase shares before the 17th of November in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 25th of November.
DHT Holdings's next dividend payment will be US$0.20 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.47 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that DHT Holdings has a trailing yield of 9.2% on the current share price of $5.13. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
See our latest analysis for DHT Holdings
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. DHT Holdings paid out more than half (60%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 41% of its free cash flow in the past year.
It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It's encouraging to see DHT Holdings has grown its earnings rapidly, up 66% a year for the past five years. The current payout ratio suggests a good balance between rewarding shareholders with dividends, and reinvesting in growth. With a reasonable payout ratio, profits being reinvested, and some earnings growth, DHT Holdings could have strong prospects for future increases to the dividend.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. DHT Holdings's dividend payments per share have declined at 21% per year on average over the past 10 years, which is uninspiring. It's unusual to see earnings per share increasing at the same time as dividends per share have been in decline. We'd hope it's because the company is reinvesting heavily in its business, but it could also suggest business is lumpy.
The Bottom Line
Is DHT Holdings an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We like DHT Holdings's growing earnings per share and the fact that - while its payout ratio is around average - it paid out a lower percentage of its cash flow. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.
In light of that, while DHT Holdings has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for DHT Holdings (1 is concerning) you should be aware of.
A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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