Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ:JKHY) will pay a dividend of $0.55 on the 17th of June. This makes the dividend yield 1.3%, which is above the industry average.

Check out our latest analysis for Jack Henry & Associates

Jack Henry & Associates' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Based on the last payment, Jack Henry & Associates was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 40.1%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 32% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Jack Henry & Associates Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $0.80 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $2.20. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 11% per annum over that time. So, dividends have been growing pretty quickly, and even more impressively, they haven't experienced any notable falls during this period.

We Could See Jack Henry & Associates' Dividend Growing

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Jack Henry & Associates has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 7.5% per annum. Since earnings per share is growing at an acceptable rate, and the payout policy is balanced, we think the company is positioning itself well to grow earnings and dividends in the future.

Jack Henry & Associates Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Jack Henry & Associates is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 15 analysts we track are forecasting for Jack Henry & Associates for free with public analyst estimates for the company. 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.