Published on April 4th, 2023 by Nikolaos Sismanis
Investors who seek stable and dependable cash flow may find it advantageous to invest in companies that offer monthly dividend payments. These companies provide a more frequent and consistent source of income as opposed to those that distribute dividends quarterly or annually. Opting for such companies allows investors to maintain a steady stream of income that caters to their financial requirements on a regular basis.
We have identified a total of 84 companies that currently offer a monthly dividend payment. While the number may be modest, it is significant enough to allow you to peruse and select the ones that align with your investment preferences. You can see all 84 monthly dividend-paying names here.
You can download our full Excel spreadsheet of all monthly dividend stocks (along with metrics that matter, like dividend yield and payout ratio) by clicking on the link below:
A stock that has yet to come under our radar for assessment is the Richards Packaging Income Fund (RPKIF), a Canadian trust specializing in packaging containers and associated components. Currently, the shares are attached to a yield of 3.2%, which, while not tremendous, is still roughly double that of the S&P 500 Index.
Given that Richards Packaging’s distributions are paid on a monthly basis, and the trust has maintained or increased its distributions for the past 14 years, the stock appears rather appealing for distribution growth investors who seek a regular stream of dependable payments.
Business Overview
The Richards Packaging Income Fund, established on February 26, 2004, as a limited-purpose, open-ended trust, is committed to investing in distribution enterprises across North America.
Through its subsidiaries, each of which specializes in a different area, the trust caters to a vast clientele of nearly 17,000 regional businesses, including those in the food, beverage, cosmetics, and healthcare industries.
Its primary revenue stream comes from the distribution of over 8,000 diverse types of packaging containers and healthcare supplies and products sourced from a network of more than 900 suppliers, as well as their three specialized manufacturing facilities.
Source: Annual Report
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the trust experienced a significant boost, as the surge in e-commerce orders due to lockdowns and other restrictions resulted in a spike in demand for containers and healthcare supplies. Thus, revenues in fiscal 2020 soared by 46.4% to C$489.2 million, compared to C$334.2 million in fiscal 2019.
Since then, the trust’s subsidiaries have managed to bolster their market position, retaining an elevated revenue base. Nevertheless, there are indications of a reversal in the impact of the pandemic, as evidenced in the trust’s latest results.
In fiscal 2022, the trust’s revenues were down 1.0% to C$446.9 million, mainly due to the 2.3% unwinding of the coronavirus impact and the 3.0% lower sales of pumps and sprayers due to an oversupplied market. These factors were offset by growth in healthcare (3.7%) and food & beverage (0.6%).
Adjusted EBITDA fell 19.9% to C$14.5 million of revenue, on less fixed costs and product mix benefits associated with lower revenue levels (diseconomies of scale) and a reversal of C$1.5 million currency translation gain.
Accordingly, the trust’s distributable cash flow per unit (DCFU) fell 7.5% to C$3.73. Still, it remains well above its pre-pandemic levels (Fiscal 2019 DCFU of C$2.73)
Growth Prospects
The Richards Packaging Income Fund’s growth is being powered by the trust’s underlying businesses, as well as accretive acquisitions or dispositions of its exciting assets.
In 2020, for instance, the trust acquired Clarion Medical Technologies, a leading Canadian provider of medical, aesthetic, vision care, and surgical equipment and consumables. And, in late 2022, Richards Canada sold the Rexplas manufacturing facility to a strategic supplier who will continue to produce bottles for the trusts’ needs.
Over the years, the trust has managed to grow steadily following this strategy. Specifically, over the past ten years, the trust’s revenues have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%
DCFU has also grown at a matching pace. For context, DCFU in 2010, 2o12, 2015, 2019, and 2022 was C$1.32, C$1.26, C$1.52, C$2.73, and C$3.73, respectively. Over the past ten years, DCFU has grown at a CAGR of 9%.
Management outlined their focus for 2023, stating that the primary goal is to sustain the growth of core revenues within the range of 2% to 5%, with the assumption that the economy does not face a recession.
They also affirmed that acquisitions would continue to play a significant role in the trust’s strategic direction. However, organic growth is expected to slow down compared to past levels due to the likelihood of reduced demand for the trust’s packaged products during an economic downturn.
Dividend Analysis
The Richards Packaging Income Fund has paid monthly distributions since its inception. Payouts were temporarily suspended during the Great Financial Crisis and were then resumed at a lower rate. Still, since then, the trust has either kept the monthly distribution stable or grown it.
Source: Koyfin
With the trust paying a stable distribution for five consecutive years, DCFU’s growth has outperformed that of DPU over the past decade. Specifically, the trust’s DPU has grown at a ten-year CAGR of 5.3% compared to DCFU’s equivalent rate of 9%.
As a result, the trust’s payout ratio has improved notably during this period. It was 62% in 2012 and 35% in 2022. Therefore, we believe the trust is to turn more favorable toward resuming distribution growth moving forward. This is also signaled by the fact that the trust has started paying special distributions to pay out its earnings surplus. In March 2020 and March 2023, special distributions of C$0.69 and C$0.38 were paid, respectively.
At its current annualized rate of C$1.32 ($0.98), the trust yields roughly 3.2%. It used to yield up to 11% in previous years, but the yield has slowly declined following the stock’s gradual gains against a rather stagnated distribution.
Final Thoughts
The Richards Packaging Income Fund has displayed robust growth over the years, with accretive acquisitions, smart dispositions, and the organic expansion of its underlying businesses, contributing to satisfactory DCFU growth.
The trust’s current yield may not be sufficient to meet the needs of some investors seeking substantial income. That said, its prospects for significant distribution hikes and special distributions are at their most promising, given the consistent improvement in its payout ratio.
Assuming stable DCFU in fiscal 2023 following management’s conservative outlook, the stock is currently trading at a P/DCFU of about 10.5%. The multiple reflects investors’ expectations for below-average growth in the near term, but it can also signal a buying opportunity assuming the growth is to pick in the medium term.
In any case, we believe that the trust’s base monthly distribution is very safe, and the stock is likely to cater to investors who seek regular distributions with the potential for growth.
Don’t miss the resources below for more monthly dividend stock investing research.
- The Monthly Dividend Stocks List
- 20 Highest Yielding Monthly Dividend Stocks
- 10 Cheapest Monthly Dividend Stocks
- 10 Safest Monthly Dividend Stocks
- 3 Top ‘Hold Forever’ Monthly Dividend Stocks
And see the resources below for more compelling investment ideas for dividend growth stocks and/or high-yield investment securities.
- Dividend Kings: 50+ years of rising dividends
- Dividend Champions: 25+ years of rising dividends
- Dividend Aristocrats: 25+ years of rising dividends and in the S&P 500
- Dividend Achievers: 10+ years of rising dividends and in the NASDAQ
- High Dividend Stocks: 4%+ dividend yields
- Blue Chip Stock: Kings, Aristocrats, and Achievers
- MLPs: List of MLPs and more
- REITs: List of REITs and more
- BDCs: List of BDCs and more