Cheuk Nang (Holdings) Limited's (HKG:131) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to HK$0.04 on 12th of December. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 3.5%, which is below the industry average.
See our latest analysis for Cheuk Nang (Holdings)
If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. However, prior to this announcement, Cheuk Nang (Holdings)'s dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.
EPS is set to fall by 23.3% over the next 12 months if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 28%, which is definitely feasible to continue.
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was HK$0.10, compared to the most recent full-year payment of HK$0.0625. The dividend has shrunk at around 4.6% a year during that period. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Over the past five years, it looks as though Cheuk Nang (Holdings)'s EPS has declined at around 23% a year. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future.
Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Cheuk Nang (Holdings) (of which 1 is concerning!) you should know about. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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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.