Consolidated Water's (NASDAQ:CWCO) Dividend Will Be US$0.085

The board of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ:CWCO) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 29th of October, with investors receiving US$0.085 per share. The dividend yield will be 2.8% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

View our latest analysis for Consolidated Water

Consolidated Water Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Before making this announcement, Consolidated Water's dividend was higher than its profits, but the free cash flows quite comfortably covered it. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 82.7% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 113%, which probably can't continue putting some pressure on the balance sheet.

Consolidated Water Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was US$0.30 in 2011, and the most recent fiscal year payment was US$0.34. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 1.3% per annum over that time. Slow and steady dividend growth might not sound that exciting, but dividends have been stable for ten years, which we think makes this a fairly attractive offer.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Earnings per share has been sinking by 20% over the last five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

Our Thoughts On Consolidated Water's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Consolidated Water's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We don't think Consolidated Water is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 3 warning signs for Consolidated Water that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. 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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