Mitsubishi Corporation (TSE:8058) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ¥55.00 per share on the 23rd of June. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.0%, which is fairly typical for the industry.
Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Mitsubishi's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 13.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 60% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
See our latest analysis for Mitsubishi
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2015, the annual payment back then was ¥20.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥110.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 19% a year over that time. Mitsubishi has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.
Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Mitsubishi has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 17% per annum. Shareholders are getting plenty of the earnings returned to them, which combined with strong growth makes this quite appealing.
Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Mitsubishi is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Mitsubishi that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Mitsubishi not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.