DCM Holdings Co., Ltd.'s (TSE:3050) investors are due to receive a payment of ¥23.00 per share on 1st of June. This means the annual payment is 2.9% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. However, DCM Holdings' earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 8.6% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 35%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
View our latest analysis for DCM Holdings
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from ¥20.00 total annually to ¥46.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 8.7% per annum over that time. Companies like this can be very valuable over the long term, if the decent rate of growth can be maintained.
Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. In the last five years, DCM Holdings' earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 2.6% per annum. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.
In summary, we are pleased with the dividend remaining consistent, and we think there is a good chance of this continuing in the future. The earnings coverage is acceptable for now, but with earnings on the decline we would definitely keep an eye on the payout ratio. Taking all of this into consideration, the dividend looks viable moving forward, but investors should be mindful that the company has pushed the boundaries of sustainability in the past and may do so again.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for DCM 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.