With a 5.7% ITV dividend yield, I’m shopping for!

Some corporations are unloved within the Metropolis and ITV (LSE: ITV) appears to be one in every of them. The annual ITV dividend was elevated this week to 5p per share, that means the yield is round 5.7%. On Thursday, when that optimistic albeit anticipated information was introduced, the shares drifted down in response.

Whereas the ITV share value is 8% increased than a 12 months in the past, at that time it had simply plummeted following an annual report presentation that went down within the Metropolis like a lead bomb. So the shares are nonetheless 30% cheaper than they had been final February.

I’ve been shopping for, including extra ITV shares to my portfolio prior to now week, previous to the outcomes.

Dividend improve

The ultimate payout on the firm was the identical because the prior 12 months, 3.3p per share. However final 12 months noticed the return of an interim dividend in addition, that means the whole dividend grew. Administration had guided to a minimal 5p per share annual dividend and that’s what they delivered.

With earnings per share of 10.7p, the ITV dividend was comfortably coated. Adjusted free money circulation on the agency fell sharply, from £407m the prior 12 months to £280m this time round. With the dividends costing round £200m, they continue to be coated by adjusted free money circulation in addition to earnings.

The corporate’s coverage is to pay atypical dividends that “develop over time while balancing additional funding to help our technique”. In different phrases, it doesn’t foresee a dividend minimize (though that’s all the time a chance at any firm). If funds enable after spending on enterprise actions like its streaming service launch, the corporate may additionally improve the annual payout – however not essentially yearly. Nonetheless, I already regard the 5.7% dividend yield as engaging.

Robust enterprise

A pretty yield is one factor, however I’m all the time extra within the underlying enterprise efficiency. In any case, that’s what will assist fund future ITV dividends.

The corporate’s exterior income rose 8% year-on-year to £3.7bn. On a statutory foundation, revenue earlier than tax rose 4% to £501m, whereas adjusted revenue earlier than tax was 13% decrease than the prior 12 months.

That pre-tax revenue variety of round half a billion kilos is attention-grabbing to me. The market capitalisation of ITV in the meanwhile is £3.5bn. Meaning the enterprise trades on a price-to-earnings ratio of simply 7. That appears low cost to me, which is why I’ve been shopping for.

Regardless of issues about an promoting downturn, ITV continues to do effectively on this regard. Its complete promoting income confirmed solely a 1% annual decline final 12 months. A rising streaming supply may assist increase revenues and income, as viewers swap away from conventional analogue tv. On prime of that, the manufacturing aspect of the enterprise continues to profit from excessive demand for unique scripted content material.

I’m shopping for

That might change. The spending spree seen in recent times from commissioners comparable to Netflix could fall. Promoting revenues may decline. One other threat I see is web debt. It rose 34% to £623m. Servicing debt can eat into income.

I feel such dangers are greater than priced into the shares. The dividend appears pretty protected to me. The yield is engaging. I see ITV as a top quality enterprise with a gorgeous valuation. So I’ve been rising my holding.