Comtech Telecommunications (NASDAQ:CMTL) Has Re-Affirmed Its Dividend Of US$0.10

The board of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ:CMTL) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 20th of August, with investors receiving US$0.10 per share. The dividend yield is 1.8% based on this payment, which is a little bit low compared to the other companies in the industry.

View our latest analysis for Comtech Telecommunications

Comtech Telecommunications Might Find It Hard To Continue The Dividend

It would be nice for the yield to be higher, but we should also check if higher levels of dividend payment would be sustainable. Despite not generating a profit, Comtech Telecommunications is still paying a dividend. The company is also yet to generate cash flow, so the dividend sustainability is definitely questionable.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 97.5% over the next year. The company seems to be going down the right path, but it will take a little bit longer than a year to cross over into profitability. Unfortunately, for the dividend to continue at current levels the company definitely needs to get there sooner rather than later.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2011, the first annual payment was US$1.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of US$0.40. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 8.8% per year. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Given that the track record hasn't been stellar, we really want to see earnings per share growing over time. Earnings per share has been sinking by 31% over the last five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. However, the next year is actually looking up, with earnings set to rise. We would just wait until it becomes a pattern before getting too excited.

We're Not Big Fans Of Comtech Telecommunications' Dividend

Overall, this isn't a great candidate as an income investment, even though the dividend was stable this year. The company seems to be stretching itself a bit to make such big payments, but it doesn't appear they can be consistent over time. The dividend doesn't inspire confidence that it will provide solid income in the future.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've identified 4 warning signs for Comtech Telecommunications (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of strong dividend payers.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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