Australian United Investment (ASX:AUI) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of AU$0.19

Australian United Investment Company Limited (ASX:AUI) will pay a dividend of AU$0.19 on the 23rd of September. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 3.5%.

See our latest analysis for Australian United Investment

Australian United Investment Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 146% of what it was earning. Without profits and cash flows increasing, it would be difficult for the company to continue paying the dividend at this level.

EPS is set to fall by 10.6% over the next 12 months if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, the payout ratio in 12 months could be 166%, which is definitely a bit high to be sustainable going forward.

Australian United Investment Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2011, the first annual payment was AU$0.26, compared to the most recent full-year payment of AU$0.36. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 3.3% per annum over that time. While the consistency in the dividend payments is impressive, we think the relatively slow rate of growth is less attractive.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Australian United Investment's earnings per share has shrunk at 11% a year over the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Australian United Investment's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. Although they have been consistent in the past, we think the payments are a little high to be sustained. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Australian United Investment has 3 warning signs (and 1 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.

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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.
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