PSP Swiss Property AG (VTX:PSPN) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 10th of April to CHF3.85. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.4%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for PSP Swiss Property

PSP Swiss Property's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. The last payment made up 85% of earnings, but cash flows were much higher. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 48.2% over the next year. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 58% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.

PSP Swiss Property Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was CHF3.25, compared to the most recent full-year payment of CHF3.85. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 1.7% per annum over that time. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. However, things aren't all that rosy. PSP Swiss Property has seen earnings per share falling at 7.6% per year over the last five years. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. 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 can turn into a longer term trend.

Our Thoughts On PSP Swiss Property's Dividend

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think PSP Swiss Property's payments are rock solid. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for PSP Swiss Property you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. 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.