The board of Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) has announced that the dividend on 31st of March will be increased to $0.7525, which will be 5.2% higher than last year's payment of $0.715 which covered the same period. This will take the annual payment to 5.0% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

See our latest analysis for Eversource Energy

Eversource Energy's Projections Indicate Future Payments May Be Unsustainable

Estimates Indicate Eversource Energy's Could Struggle to Maintain Dividend Payments In The Future

Eversource Energy's Future Dividends May Potentially Be At Risk

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. Despite not generating a profit, Eversource Energy is still paying a dividend. It is also not generating any free cash flow, we definitely have concerns when it comes to the sustainability of the dividend.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 146.2% over the next year. If the dividend continues on its recent course, the company could be paying out several times what it earns in the next 12 months, which could start applying pressure to the balance sheet.

Eversource Energy Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from $1.57 total annually to $2.86. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 6.2% over that duration. Companies like this can be very valuable over the long term, if the decent rate of growth can be maintained.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, things aren't all that rosy. Eversource Energy's earnings per share has shrunk at 23% a year over the past five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. In the past the payments have been stable, but we think the company is paying out too much for this to continue for the long term. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Eversource Energy that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. 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.