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DHT Holdings (NYSE:DHT) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At $0.04

DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 30th of August to $0.04. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 1.3%, which is below the industry average.

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 DHT Holdings' stock price has increased by 44% 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 DHT Holdings

DHT Holdings' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Even though DHT Holdings isn't generating a profit, it is generating healthy free cash flows that easily cover the dividend. We generally think that cash flow is more important than accounting measures of profit, so we are fairly comfortable with the dividend at this level.

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According to analysts, EPS should be several times higher next year. If the dividend extends its recent trend, estimates say the dividend could reach 7.7%, which we would be comfortable to see continuing.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from $1.44 total annually to $0.10. Dividend payments have fallen sharply, down 93% over that time. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

The Company Could Face Some Challenges Growing The Dividend

Dividends have been going in the wrong direction, so we definitely want to see a different trend in the earnings per share. We are encouraged to see that DHT Holdings has grown earnings per share at 28% per year over the past five years. While the company hasn't yet recorded a profit, the growth rates are healthy. If profitability can be achieved soon and growth continues apace, this stock could certainly turn into a solid dividend payer.

In Summary

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

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. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 6 analysts we track are forecasting for DHT Holdings for free with public analyst estimates for the company. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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