Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year
Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL) will increase its dividend on the 29th of October to US$0.30. This takes the annual payment to 1.5% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Foot Locker
Foot Locker's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions
While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Before making this announcement, Foot Locker was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 1.3% over the next year. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 15%, which is comfortable for the company to continue in the future.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least 1 cut in the last 10 years. Since 2011, the dividend has gone from US$0.60 to US$1.20. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.2% a year over that time. We have seen cuts in the past, so while the growth looks promising we would be a little bit cautious about its track record.
The Dividend Has Growth Potential
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. Foot Locker has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 9.0% per annum. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for Foot Locker's prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.
Foot Locker Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The distributions are easily covered by earnings, and there is plenty of cash being generated as well. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Foot Locker that investors should take into consideration. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.
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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