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ARC Document Solutions (NYSE:ARC) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At US$0.05

ARC Document Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:ARC) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 28th of February to US$0.05. This will take the annual payment to 2.9% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. Investors will be pleased to see that ARC Document Solutions' stock price has increased by 30% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.

View our latest analysis for ARC Document Solutions

ARC Document Solutions' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. However, ARC Document Solutions' earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 66.5% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 37% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

ARC Document Solutions' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Looking back, the company hasn't been paying the most consistent dividend, but with such a short dividend history it could be too early to draw solid conclusions. The first annual payment during the last 2 years was US$0.04 in 2020, and the most recent fiscal year payment was US$0.20. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 124% over that duration. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. It's encouraging to see ARC Document Solutions has been growing its earnings per share at 67% a year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

ARC Document Solutions Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For instance, we've picked out 3 warning signs for ARC Document Solutions that investors should take into consideration. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a solid dividend.

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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