Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At $0.45

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company's (NYSE:ADM) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to $0.45 on 2nd of March. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 2.2%.

See our latest analysis for Archer-Daniels-Midland

Archer-Daniels-Midland's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Before making this announcement, Archer-Daniels-Midland was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 11.2% over the next year. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 24%, which is comfortable for the company to continue in the future.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $0.70 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of $1.80. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 9.9% over that duration. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination as it provides a nice boost to shareholder returns.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Archer-Daniels-Midland has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 23% per annum. Rapid earnings growth and a low payout ratio suggest this company has been effectively reinvesting in its business. Should that continue, this company could have a bright future.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Archer-Daniels-Midland is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The earnings easily cover the company's distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. If earnings do fall over the next 12 months, the dividend could be buffeted a little bit, but we don't think it should cause too much of a problem in the long term. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

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 example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Archer-Daniels-Midland that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Archer-Daniels-Midland 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.

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