Cognex Corporation's (NASDAQ:CGNX) investors are due to receive a payment of $0.08 per share on 13th of March. The dividend yield is 1.0% based on this payment, which is a little bit low compared to the other companies in the industry.

View our latest analysis for Cognex

Cognex's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Based on the last payment, Cognex was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 113.6%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 26% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Cognex Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from an annual total of $0.14 in 2015 to the most recent total annual payment of $0.32. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 8.6% a year over that time. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination as it provides a nice boost to shareholder returns.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Earnings per share has been sinking by 12% 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. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend.

In Summary

Overall, a consistent dividend is a good thing, and we think that Cognex has the ability to continue this into the future. The earnings coverage is acceptable for now, but with earnings on the decline we would definitely keep an eye on the payout ratio. The dividend looks okay, but there have been some issues in the past, so we would be a little bit cautious.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Given that earnings are not growing, the dividend does not look nearly so attractive. Very few businesses see earnings consistently shrink year after year in perpetuity though, and so it might be worth seeing what the 21 analysts we track are forecasting for the future. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.