Chino Corporation (TSE:6850) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 30th of June to ¥45.00. This makes the dividend yield 3.4%, which is above the industry average.
View our latest analysis for Chino
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, Chino was paying only paying out a fraction of earnings, but the payment was a massive 166% of cash flows. While the business may be attempting to set a balanced dividend policy, a cash payout ratio this high might expose the dividend to being cut if the business ran into some challenges.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 15.5%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 34% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from ¥35.00 total annually to ¥70.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 7.2% over that duration. We like to see dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income.
Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. We are encouraged to see that Chino has grown earnings per share at 7.2% per year over the past five years. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for Chino's prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Chino will make a great income stock. While Chino is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We don't think Chino is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Chino that you should be aware of before investing. Is Chino not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.