Siemens (ETR:SIE) Is Increasing Its Dividend To €4.25

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:SIE) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 14th of February to €4.25. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 3.0%.

Check out our latest analysis for Siemens

Siemens' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Siemens' dividend made up quite a large proportion of earnings but only 41% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 109.3%. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 44% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.

Siemens Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The dividend has gone from an annual total of €3.00 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of €4.25. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 3.5% a year over that time. While the consistency in the dividend payments is impressive, we think the relatively slow rate of growth is less attractive.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. It's not great to see that Siemens' earnings per share has fallen at approximately 8.3% per year over the past five years. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. 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 can turn into a longer term trend.

In Summary

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We don't think Siemens is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 4 warning signs for Siemens that you should be aware of before investing. Is Siemens 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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