Tecsys (TSE:TCS) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of CA$0.075

The board of Tecsys Inc. (TSE:TCS) has announced that it will pay a dividend of CA$0.075 per share on the 4th of August. The dividend yield will be 1.1% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

See our latest analysis for Tecsys

Tecsys 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. Before making this announcement, Tecsys' dividend was higher than its profits, but the free cash flows quite comfortably covered it. Generally, we think cash is more important than accounting measures of profit, so with the cash flows easily covering the dividend, we don't think there is much reason to worry.

The next 12 months is set to see EPS grow by 58.8%. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, it could start putting pressure on the balance sheet with the payout ratio reaching 148% over the next year.

Tecsys Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The annual payment during the last 10 years was CA$0.07 in 2013, and the most recent fiscal year payment was CA$0.30. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 16% over that duration. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Earnings per share has been sinking by 14% over the last five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. On the bright side, earnings are predicted to gain some ground over the next year, but until this turns into a pattern we wouldn't be feeling too comfortable.

Our Thoughts On Tecsys' Dividend

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Tecsys that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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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