PennantPark also has an outstanding loan to Cano Health, an operator of primary healthcare clinics in South Florida that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. PennantPark did not mention or allude to Cano's situation on its conference call for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 or in its earnings release that was issued three days after the bankruptcy filing. I'm not too concerned about it, though. Cano represents only a very small portion of the portfolio. Because PennantPark is a lender, we look at net interest income (NII) to determine whether the company generates enough cash to pay its dividend. Last year, NII surged from $59 million to $99 million, and this year, it is forecast to grow another 13% to $112 million. Meanwhile, the company paid out $49.6 million in dividends last year for a payout ratio of just 50%. This year, the payout ratio is expected to drop to 49%, so PennantPark can still easily afford its dividend. Here's where it gets tricky, though. The company has cut the dividend three times in the past 10 years, and the dividend is still below where it was a decade ago. That is something Safety Net does not like to see. So the dividend has been - and should continue to be - quite affordable... but three cuts in the last 10 years is cause for concern. Before I reveal my grade, I want to hear from you. What grade would you give PennantPark's dividend and why? Click the button below to share your thoughts, and then scroll up to finish reading and get my grade. |
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