The board of Victrex plc (LON:VCT) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 23rd of February, with investors receiving £0.4614 per share. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 4.2%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

See our latest analysis for Victrex

Victrex's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. At the time of the last dividend payment, Victrex was paying out a very large proportion of what it was earning and 1,630% of cash flows. This is certainly a risk factor, as reduced cash flows could force the company to pay a lower dividend.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 49.1% over the next year. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 58% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward. historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2013, the annual payment back then was £0.374, compared to the most recent full-year payment of £0.596. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 4.8% per annum over that time. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.

The Dividend Has Limited 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. Earnings per share has been sinking by 11% over the last five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. 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.



Victrex's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. The track record isn't great, and the payments are a bit high to be considered sustainable. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Victrex that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.