Sega Sammy Holdings' (TSE:6460) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. (TSE:6460) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 4th of June to ¥28.00. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 2.2%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

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Sega Sammy Holdings' Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Sega Sammy Holdings is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. 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.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 23.9%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 55% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Check out our latest analysis for Sega Sammy Holdings

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥40.00 in 2015, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥56.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 3.4% per annum over that time. It's encouraging to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth anyway, which makes this less attractive as an income investment.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Sega Sammy Holdings has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 22% per annum. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.

In Summary

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Sega Sammy Holdings' payments are rock solid. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

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. For instance, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Sega Sammy Holdings that investors should take into consideration. 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.