Rogers Communications (TSE:RCI.B) Will Pay A Dividend Of CA$0.50

Rogers Communications Inc. (TSE:RCI.B) will pay a dividend of CA$0.50 on the 4th of July. This payment means the dividend yield will be 3.1%, which is below the average for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Rogers Communications

Rogers Communications' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. The last dividend was quite comfortably covered by Rogers Communications' earnings, but it was a bit tighter on the cash flow front. The company is clearly earning enough to pay this type of dividend, but it is definitely focused on returning cash to shareholders, rather than growing the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 14.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 56% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Rogers Communications Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2012, the first annual payment was CA$1.42, compared to the most recent full-year payment of CA$2.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 3.5% over that duration. Dividends have grown relatively slowly, which is not great, but some investors may value the relative consistency of the dividend.

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. Rogers Communications has impressed us by growing EPS at 12% per year over the past five years. The company is paying a reasonable amount of earnings to shareholders, and is growing earnings at a decent rate so we think it could be a decent dividend stock.

In Summary

Overall, we think Rogers Communications is a solid choice as a dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't raised this year. The payments look okay by most measures, the lack of cash flow could definitely cause problems for them in the future. Taking all of this into consideration, the dividend looks viable moving forward, but investors should be mindful that the company has pushed the boundaries of sustainability in the past and may do so again.

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 Rogers Communications that you should be aware of before investing. Is Rogers Communications not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.