Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To A$0.35

The board of Nick Scali Limited (ASX:NCK) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of A$0.35 on the 24th of October, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 6.7%.

See our latest analysis for Nick Scali

Nick Scali's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Before this announcement, Nick Scali was paying out 76% of earnings, but a comparatively small 55% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 3.7%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 86%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was A$0.09 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was A$0.70. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 23% per annum over that time. Dividends have grown rapidly over this time, but with cuts in the past we are not certain that this stock will be a reliable source of income in the future.

Nick Scali Might Find It Hard To Grow Its Dividend

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Nick Scali has impressed us by growing EPS at 15% per year over the past five years. Past earnings growth has been decent, but unless this is one of those rare businesses that can grow without additional capital investment or marketing spend, we'd generally expect the higher payout ratio to limit its future growth prospects.

Our Thoughts On Nick Scali's Dividend

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Nick Scali will make a great income stock. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. We don't think Nick Scali is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

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. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Nick Scali that investors should take into consideration. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection 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.