The board of FP Partner Inc. (TSE:7388) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 14th of February, with investors receiving ¥47.00 per share. Despite the cut, the dividend yield of 3.2% will still be comparable to other companies in the industry.
See our latest analysis for FP Partner
We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. However, based ont he last payment, FP Partner was earning enough to cover the dividend pretty comfortably. However, with more than 75% of free cash flow being paid out to shareholders, future growth could potentially be constrained.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 19.8% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 45% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
The company hasn't been paying a dividend for very long at all, so we can't really make a judgement on how stable the dividend has been. This doesn't mean that the company can't pay a good dividend, but just that we want to wait until it can prove itself.
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. FP Partner has impressed us by growing EPS at 52% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.
Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. While FP Partner is earning enough to cover the dividend, we are generally unimpressed with its future prospects. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for FP Partner that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.
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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.