Answer:
decrease in the dividend payout ratio
Explanation:
Sustainable growth rate (SGR) is the maximum growth rate that a company can achieve without obtaining funding from external sources like by borrowing debt or issuing equity. This growth rate can be experienced through increase in sales. The formula for sustainable growth rate is as follows;
SGR = retention rate *return on equity
since retention rate = (1 - payout ratio)
If dividend payout ratio decreases, the retention rate will increase hence increasing the SGR.