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Rockwell Automation: Dividend Dynamo or Blowup?
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Published Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:31:18 GMT on The Motley Fool
Dividend investing is a tried-and-true strategy for generating strong, steady returns in economies both good and bad. But as corporate America's slew of dividend cuts and suspensions over the past few years has demonstrated, it's not enough simply to buy a high yield. You also need to make sure those payouts are sustainable.
Let's examine how Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) stacks up. In this series, we consider four critical factors investors should examine in every dividend stock. We'll then tie it all together to look at whether Rockwell Automation is a dividend dynamo or a disaster in the making.
1. YieldFirst and foremost, dividend investors like a large forward yield. But if a yield gets too high, it may reflect investors' doubts about the payout's sustainability. If investors had confidence in the stock, they'd be buying it, driving up the share price and shrinking the yield.
Rockwell Automation yields 2.1%, about in-line with the S&P 500.
2. Payout ratioThe payout ratio might be the most important metric for judging dividend sustainability. It compares the amount of money a company paid out in dividends last year to the earnings it generated. A ratio that's too high -- say, greater than 80% of earnings -- indicates that the company may be stretching to make payouts it can't afford, even when its dividend yield doesn't seem particularly high.
Rockwell Automation has a modest payout ratio of 30%.
3. Balance sheetThe best dividend payers have the financial fortitude to fund growth and respond to whatever the economy and competitors throw at them. The interest coverage ratio indicates whether a company is having trouble meeting its interest payments -- any ratio less than five is a warning sign. Meanwhile, the debt-to-equity ratio is a good measure of a company's total debt burden.
Rockwell Automation has a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 52%, and its interest coverage rate is a safe 16 times.
4. GrowthA large dividend is nice; a large growing dividend is even better. To support a growing dividend, we also want to see earnings growth.
Over the past five years, Rockwell Automation's earnings per share and dividend have both grown at an average annual rate of 10%.
The Foolish bottom lineRockwell Automation exhibits a clean dividend bill of health. It has a decent yield, a modest payout ratio, manageable debt, and growth to boot. Its yield may not be high enough to truly qualify as a "dividend dynamo," but given its history of strong earnings growth and low payout ratio, the company should have no trouble increasing its payouts should it decide to do so. If you're looking for some great dividend stocks, check out "Secure Your Future With 11 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks," a special report from the Motley Fool about some serious dividend dynamos. I invite you to grab a free copy to discover everything you need to know about the 11 generous dividend payers -- simply click here.
... Read moreStock name ISIN Last trade P/E Earnings/Share Dividend/Share Dividend yield ROCKWELL AUTOMATION 
US7739031091 90.95 17.6 5.08 2.08 2.29