Kri-Kri Milk Industry S.A. (ATH:KRI) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 27th of August to €0.40. This takes the annual payment to 2.3% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.
While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Prior to this announcement, Kri-Kri Milk Industry's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 36.2%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 32%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Check out our latest analysis for Kri-Kri Milk Industry
Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2015, the annual payment back then was €0.06, compared to the most recent full-year payment of €0.40. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 21% over that duration. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.
Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Kri-Kri Milk Industry has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 18% per annum. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Kri-Kri Milk Industry will make a great income stock. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We don't think Kri-Kri Milk Industry 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. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Kri-Kri Milk Industry has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think 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.