UK Dividend Stocks Featuring Macfarlane Group And 2 More

The United Kingdom’s stock market has recently experienced some turbulence, with the FTSE 100 index closing lower due to weak trade data from China, highlighting the global interconnectedness of economies. In such uncertain times, dividend stocks can offer a measure of stability and income potential for investors seeking reliable returns amidst fluctuating market conditions.

Click here to see the full list of 52 stocks from our Top UK Dividend Stocks screener.

Let’s explore several standout options from the results in the screener.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★★☆

Overview: Macfarlane Group PLC, with a market cap of £106.42 million, designs, manufactures, and distributes protective packaging products to businesses in the United Kingdom and Europe through its subsidiaries.

Operations: Macfarlane Group PLC generates revenue from its two main segments: Packaging Distribution, which accounts for £228.28 million, and Manufacturing Operations, contributing £65.34 million.

Dividend Yield: 5.4%

Macfarlane Group’s dividend payments are well-covered by both earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 48.6% and 27.8%, respectively. Despite a volatile dividend history, its current yield is in the top 25% of UK payers at 5.43%. The company maintains a stable interim dividend but has faced declining net income despite rising sales, impacting earnings per share. Recently added to the S&P Global BMI Index, Macfarlane trades at an attractive P/E ratio of 8.9x compared to the market average.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆

Overview: J Sainsbury plc operates in the United Kingdom through its subsidiaries, focusing on food, general merchandise and clothing retailing, as well as financial services, with a market cap of £8.01 billion.

Operations: J Sainsbury’s revenue is primarily derived from its retail segment, which accounts for £32.63 billion, while its financial services contribute £182 million.

Dividend Yield: 3.8%

J Sainsbury’s dividend payments, while covered by earnings and cash flows with payout ratios of 75.5% and 27.4%, respectively, have been volatile over the past decade. The current yield of 3.82% is below the top UK payers’ average, but recent earnings growth of 37% supports its sustainability. Despite ending talks to sell Argos to JD.com, Sainsbury remains focused on enhancing Argos’ digital capabilities and operational efficiencies for future growth.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆

Overview: Smiths News plc, with a market cap of £160.07 million, operates in the distribution of newspapers and magazines both within the United Kingdom and internationally through its subsidiaries.

Operations: Smiths News plc generates revenue through its core business of distributing newspapers and magazines across the UK and internationally.

Dividend Yield: 7.7%

Smiths News offers a high dividend yield of 7.71%, ranking in the top 25% of UK payers, with dividends well-covered by earnings (29.9% payout ratio) and cash flow (27.5% cash payout ratio). Despite recent earnings growth and trading at a significant discount to fair value, its dividend history is unstable, having been volatile over the past decade. Recent results show increased net income to £28.3 million, though sales declined slightly year-on-year to £1.06 billion.

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.

Companies discussed in this article include LSE:MACF LSE:SBRY and LSE:SNWS.

This article was originally published by Simply Wall St.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com