Setting the Target Payout Ratio
The Target Payout Ratio, or Dividend Payout Ratio, is the fraction of net income a firm pays to its stockholders in dividends. It is calculated by dividing the dividends distributed by the net income for the same period. The part of the earnings not paid to investors in the form of a dividend is left for investment to provide for future earnings growth. Investors seeking high current income and limited capital growth prefer companies with high Dividend Payout Ratios.
However investors seeking capital growth may prefer lower payout ratios. This is appealing to some investors because a lower dividend implies that more earnings are being reinvested in the company, which should cause the stock price to rise. Some investors, such as young people saving for retirement, may prefer higher returns later than smaller cash distributions now.
Dividend Ratio and Investment Strategy
The Target Payout Ratio depends on what investors the management of a company are trying to attract, and what current investors' expectations are. It also depends on the growth goals of the company. If a company is trying to grow very fast, it may prefer to reinvest its income in expanding operations.
A more established firm with an established market probably does not need to expand its operations, and would prefer to use its earning to compensate its investors. High growth firms in early life generally have low or zero payout ratios. As they mature, they tend to return more of the earnings back to investors.
Historical Perspective
The payout rate has gradually declined from 90% of operating earnings in the 1940s to about 30% in recent years. For smaller growth companies, the average payout ratio can be as low as 10%