Utah Medical Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:UTMD) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 3rd of January to $0.305. The payment will take the dividend yield to 1.9%, which is in line with the average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Utah Medical Products

Utah Medical Products' Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Before making this announcement, Utah Medical Products was easily earning enough to 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 4.0% 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 26% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Utah Medical Products Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $1.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $1.22. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 2.0% per annum over that time. While the consistency in the dividend payments is impressive, we think the relatively slow rate of growth is less attractive.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Earnings per share has been crawling upwards at 4.0% per year. If Utah Medical Products is struggling to find viable investments, it always has the option to increase its payout ratio to pay more to shareholders.

Utah Medical Products 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. See if management have their own wealth at stake, by checking insider shareholdings in Utah Medical Products stock. 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.