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Astec Industries' (NASDAQ:ASTE) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's

The board of Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of $0.13 on the 30th of March, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 1.1%, which is below the industry average.

See our latest analysis for Astec Industries

Astec Industries Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Even though Astec Industries is not generating a profit, it is still paying a dividend. It is also not generating any free cash flow, we definitely have concerns when it comes to the sustainability of the dividend.

EPS is forecast to rise very quickly over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 2,794%, which is unsustainable.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Astec Industries Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $0.40 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of $0.52. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.7% over that duration. Dividends have grown relatively slowly, which is not great, but some investors may value the relative consistency of the dividend.

The Company Could Face Some Challenges Growing The Dividend

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. We are encouraged to see that Astec Industries has grown earnings per share at 15% per year over the past five years. It's not great that the company is not turning a profit, but the decent growth in recent years is certainly a positive sign. If the company can become profitable soon, continuing on this trajectory would bode well for the future of the dividend.

Astec Industries' Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Astec Industries will make a great income stock. Although they have been consistent in the past, we think the payments are a little high to be sustained. 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. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 4 analysts we track are forecasting for Astec Industries for free with public analyst estimates for the company. 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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