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Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) Is Increasing Its Dividend To $0.25

The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ:WEN) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 15th of March to $0.25. This will take the annual payment to 4.7% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

View our latest analysis for Wendy's

Wendy's' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last dividend, Wendy's is earning enough to cover the payment, but then it makes up 127% of cash flows. This signals that the company is more focused on returning cash flow to shareholders, but it could mean that the dividend is exposed to cuts in the future.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 52.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 51% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

historic-dividend
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 $0.08, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $1.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 29% per annum over that time. Wendy's has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

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. Wendy's has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 28% per annum. Wendy's is clearly able to grow rapidly while still returning cash to shareholders, positioning it to become a strong dividend payer in the future.

In Summary

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Wendy's will make a great income stock. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Wendy's (1 is a bit concerning!) 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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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