BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:BWXT) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 28th of March to $0.25. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 1.0%.

See our latest analysis for BWX Technologies

BWX Technologies' Projected Earnings Seem Likely To Cover Future Distributions

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. However, BWX Technologies' earnings easily cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 51.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 23% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from $0.40 total annually to $1.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.6% a year over that time. A reasonable rate of dividend growth is good to see, but we're wary that the dividend history is not as solid as we'd like, having been cut at least once.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. However, BWX Technologies has only grown its earnings per share at 3.8% per annum over the past five years. While EPS growth is quite low, BWX Technologies has the option to increase the payout ratio to return more cash to shareholders.

In Summary

Overall, this is a reasonable dividend, and it being raised is an added bonus. The dividend has been at reasonable levels historically, but that hasn't translated into a consistent payment. Taking all of this into consideration, the dividend looks viable moving forward, but investors should be mindful that the company has pushed the boundaries of sustainability in the past and may do so again.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for BWX Technologies that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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.