The board of Cascades Inc. (TSE:CAS) has announced that it will pay a dividend of CA$0.12 per share on the 7th of December. This makes the dividend yield 4.1%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

See our latest analysis for Cascades

Cascades' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. While Cascades is not profitable, it is paying out less than 75% of its free cash flow, which means that there is plenty left over for reinvestment into the business. In general, cash flows are more important than the more traditional measures of profit so we feel pretty comfortable with the dividend at this level.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise exponentially over the next year. If the dividend extends its recent trend, estimates say the dividend could reach 20%, which we would be comfortable to see continuing. historic-dividend

Cascades Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CA$0.16 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of CA$0.48. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 12% per annum over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, things aren't all that rosy. Earnings per share has been sinking by 48% over the last five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend.

In Summary

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Cascades that investors should take into consideration. Is Cascades not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.