Regis Healthcare's (ASX:REG) Shareholders Will Receive A Smaller Dividend Than Last Year

Regis Healthcare Limited's (ASX:REG) dividend is being reduced from last year's payment covering the same period to A$0.0232 on the 30th of September. This means that the annual payment will be 2.8% of the current stock price, which is in line with the average for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Regis Healthcare

Regis Healthcare's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. While Regis Healthcare is not profitable, it is paying out less than 75% of its free cash flow, which means that there is plenty left over for reinvestment into the business. In general, cash flows are more important than the more traditional measures of profit so we feel pretty comfortable with the dividend at this level.

Analysts expect a massive rise in earnings per share in the next year. If the dividend extends its recent trend, estimates say the dividend could reach 5.6%, which we would be comfortable to see continuing.

Regis Healthcare's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Even in its relatively short history, the company has reduced the dividend at least once. Due to this, we are a little bit cautious about the dividend consistency over a full economic cycle. The annual payment during the last 7 years was A$0.176 in 2015, and the most recent fiscal year payment was A$0.0584. Dividend payments have fallen sharply, down 67% over that time. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Given that the track record hasn't been stellar, we really want to see earnings per share growing over time. Regis Healthcare's EPS has fallen by approximately 51% per year during the past five years. This steep decline can indicate that the business is going through a tough time, which could constrain its ability to pay a larger dividend each year in the future. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Regis Healthcare that you should be aware of before investing. 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.