Known for its generous dividend yield, one of the largest utility company in the United States – Dominion Energy, is all set to lose its tag of ‘dividend growth machine’ as the company plans to slow down its dividend growth to ensure it remains a great income stock.
Sitting at the top end of the spectrum in terms of dividend yield compared to its peers, the company has an impeccable record of increasing its dividend annually for 16 consecutive years. Further, dividend growth of the company over the past decade has averaged just under 8% a year, but recently it has again gone back to around 10%.
Amidst such a scenario, the company has been recently seen projecting a massive slowdown in the dividend growth rate and expects the same to hover around 2.5% in 2020, and remain at that level for at least the next few years.
So, why the sudden brake in the dividend growth?
The reason behind such a move is basically the company creating some financial breathing space for itself, as it changes gear in terms of the business model. The company has been recently seen moving its business more and more toward assets with regulated businesses or fee-based structures. Off late, the company has undertaken a number of acquisitions like buying of smaller and financially troubled utility SCANA and acquiring its controlled midstream partnership to further widen its portfolio.
But all these acquisitions, despite a number of asset sales, has resulted in relatively high leverage for the company compared to peers. With a debt to EBITDA of ~6.4 times at the end of the Q1, Dominion easily sits at the top end of the industry.
Owing to the pressure of such high leverage, the company is likely to opt for a dividend cut as it seeks to maintain its investment-grade credit rating and to ensure a steady income flow for its investors.
D saw its Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) turn negative on April 03, 2024. This is a bearish signal that suggests the stock could decline going forward. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 50 instances where the indicator turned negative. In of the 50 cases the stock moved lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of a downward move at .
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on April 12, 2024. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on D as a result. In of 91 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where D declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 1 day, which means it's wise to expect a price bounce in the near future.
D moved above its 50-day moving average on April 17, 2024 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 50-day moving average for D moved above the 200-day moving average on April 02, 2024. This could be a long-term bullish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an upward trend.
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where D advanced for three days, in of 307 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
D may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In of 196 cases where D Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are .
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.599) is normal, around the industry mean (1.706). P/E Ratio (19.823) is within average values for comparable stocks, (23.333). D's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (4.500) is slightly higher than the industry average of (2.620). Dividend Yield (0.054) settles around the average of (0.074) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.857) is also within normal values, averaging (3.505).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. D’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. D’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 74, placing this stock worse than average.
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
a producer of electricity, natural gas and related services
Industry ElectricUtilities