Joyce (ASX:JYC) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year

Joyce Corporation Ltd (ASX:JYC) will increase its dividend on the 25th of March to AU$0.075. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 5.3%.

See our latest analysis for Joyce

Joyce's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. The last payment made up 74% of earnings, but cash flows were much higher. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 20.7% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 73% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from AU$0.04 in 2012 to the most recent annual payment of AU$0.20. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17% a year over that time. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. It's encouraging to see Joyce has been growing its earnings per share at 21% a year over the past five years. Fast growing earnings are great, but this can rarely be sustained without some reinvestment into the business, which Joyce hasn't been doing.

Joyce Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Joyce that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Joyce not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.