WPP plc (NYSE:WPP) Increases Dividend to $0.95 Per Share

WPP plc (NYSE:WPP) declared a Semi-Annual dividend on Wednesday, August 7th, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 11th will be paid a dividend of 0.954 per share by the business services provider on Friday, November 1st. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 11th. This is a boost from WPP’s previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.24.

WPP has increased its dividend payment by an average of 56.8% per year over the last three years. WPP has a dividend payout ratio of 50.2% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect WPP to earn $5.86 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.08 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 52.6%.

WPP Stock Performance

Shares of WPP stock traded down $0.34 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $43.40. 7,479 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 167,872. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. WPP has a 12-month low of $41.13 and a 12-month high of $54.21. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $47.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $48.29.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com raised shares of WPP from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $46.00.

WPP Company Profile

WPP plc, a creative transformation company, provides communications, experience, commerce, and technology services in North America, the United Kingdom, Western Continental Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe. The company operates through three segments: Global Integrated Agencies, Public Relations, and Specialist Agencies.