Sandon Capital Investments' (ASX:SNC) Dividend Will Be Increased To AU$0.028

Sandon Capital Investments Limited (ASX:SNC) will increase its dividend on the 5th of November to AU$0.028, which is 10.0% higher than last year. This takes the dividend yield from 5.1% to 5.1%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

View our latest analysis for Sandon Capital Investments

Sandon Capital Investments Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, the dividend made up 206% of earnings, and the company was generating negative free cash flows. Paying out such a large dividend compared to earnings while also not generating free cash flows is a major warning sign for the sustainability of the dividend as these levels are certainly a bit high.

If the company can't turn things around, EPS could fall by 4.2% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could reach 251%, which could put the dividend under pressure if earnings don't start to improve.

Sandon Capital Investments' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Sandon Capital Investments has been paying dividends for a while, but the track record isn't stellar. If the company cuts once, it definitely isn't argument against the possibility of it cutting in the future. Since 2014, the first annual payment was AU$0.04, compared to the most recent full-year payment of AU$0.052. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 4.0% 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's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. In the last five years, Sandon Capital Investments' earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 4.2% per annum. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits.

We're Not Big Fans Of Sandon Capital Investments' Dividend

Overall, while the dividend being raised can be good, there are some concerns about its long term sustainability. The company isn't making enough to be paying as much as it is, and the other factors don't look particularly promising either. Overall, the dividend is not reliable enough to make this a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've identified 6 warning signs for Sandon Capital Investments (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list 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.
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