Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:DBK) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 27th of May to €0.68. This makes the dividend yield 3.6%, which is above the industry average.
We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable.
Deutsche Bank has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but Deutsche Bank's payout ratio of 49% is a good sign as this means that earnings decently cover dividends.
The next 3 years are set to see EPS grow by 146.0%. Analysts estimate the future payout ratio will be 35% over the same time period, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
See our latest analysis for Deutsche Bank
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The dividend has gone from an annual total of €0.75 in 2015 to the most recent total annual payment of €0.68. Dividend payments have shrunk at a rate of less than 1% per annum over this time frame. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. It's encouraging to see that Deutsche Bank has been growing its earnings per share at 53% a year over the past five years. The company doesn't have any problems growing, despite returning a lot of capital to shareholders, which is a very nice combination for a dividend stock to have.
In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 3 warning signs for Deutsche Bank that investors should take into consideration. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.
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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.