Briscoe Group Limited (NZSE:BGP) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 11th of October to NZ$0.1471. The payment will take the dividend yield to 6.0%, which is in line with the average for the industry.

See our latest analysis for Briscoe Group

Briscoe Group Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Prior to this announcement, Briscoe Group's dividend made up quite a large proportion of earnings but only 56% of free cash flows. This leaves plenty of cash for reinvestment into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 5.5% over the next year. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, the payout ratio in 12 months could be 100%, which is definitely a bit high to be sustainable going forward. historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was NZ$0.11 in 2013, and the most recent fiscal year payment was NZ$0.28. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 9.8% over that duration. We like to see dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income.

We Could See Briscoe Group's Dividend Growing

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. It's encouraging to see that Briscoe Group has been growing its earnings per share at 6.4% a year over the past five years. Past earnings growth has been decent, but unless this is one of those rare businesses that can grow without additional capital investment or marketing spend, we'd generally expect the higher payout ratio to limit its future growth prospects.



In Summary

Overall, it's great to see the dividend being raised and that it is still in a sustainable range. While the payout ratios are a good sign, we are less enthusiastic about the company's dividend record. This looks like it could be a good dividend stock going forward, but we would note that the payout ratio has been at higher levels in the past so it could happen again.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for Briscoe Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. 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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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.