James Latham's (LON:LTHM) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's

James Latham plc (LON:LTHM) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 2nd of September to UK£0.27. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 2.4%.

Check out our latest analysis for James Latham

James Latham's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. However, prior to this announcement, James Latham's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 32.8% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 12% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

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James Latham Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2012, the first annual payment was UK£0.092, compared to the most recent full-year payment of UK£0.26. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 11% over that duration. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.

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. James Latham has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 33% 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.

James Latham Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that James Latham is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for James Latham that you should be aware of before investing. 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.