Aperam S.A.'s (AMS:APAM) investors are due to receive a payment of €0.425 per share on 12th of June. The dividend yield will be 6.5% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

Aperam's Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, Aperam's dividend was only 50% of earnings, however it was paying out 116% of free cash flows. While the company may be more focused on returning cash to shareholders than growing the business at this time, we think that a cash payout ratio this high might expose the dividend to being cut if the business ran into some challenges.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 39.7%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 40%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

See our latest analysis for Aperam

Aperam Is Still Building Its Track Record

It is great to see that Aperam has been paying a stable dividend for a number of years now, however we want to be a bit cautious about whether this will remain true through a full economic cycle. Since 2016, the dividend has gone from €1.11 total annually to €2.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.8% a year over that time. Aperam has a nice track record of dividend growth but we would wait until we see a longer track record before getting too confident.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. We are encouraged to see that Aperam has grown earnings per share at 12% per year over the past five years. The company is paying out a lot of its cash as a dividend, but it looks okay based on the payout ratio.

Our Thoughts On Aperam's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Aperam's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think Aperam is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Aperam 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.