Harvey Norman Holdings' (ASX:HVN) Dividend Is Being Reduced To AU$0.15

Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX:HVN) has announced it will be reducing its dividend payable on the 15th of November to AU$0.15. The yield is still above the industry average at 6.9%.

View our latest analysis for Harvey Norman Holdings

Harvey Norman Holdings' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. The last dividend was quite comfortably covered by Harvey Norman Holdings' earnings, but it was a bit tighter on the cash flow front. By paying out so much of its cash flows, this could indicate that the company has limited opportunities for investment and growth.

EPS is set to fall by 37.9% over the next 12 months. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 87%, meaning that most of the company's earnings are being paid out to shareholders.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was AU$0.13 in 2011, and the most recent fiscal year payment was AU$0.30. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 8.7% over that duration. We have seen cuts in the past, so while the growth looks promising we would be a little bit cautious about its track record.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

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. Harvey Norman Holdings has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 17% per annum. Earnings are on the uptrend, and it is only paying a small portion of those earnings to shareholders.

In Summary

In summary, dividends being cut isn't ideal, however it can bring the payment into a more sustainable range. The company hasn't been paying a very consistent dividend over time, despite only paying out a small portion of earnings. 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. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. To that end, Harvey Norman Holdings has 2 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about. 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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