Goldwind Science And Technology (SZSE:002202) Is Paying Out Less In Dividends Than Last Year

Goldwind Science And Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002202) is reducing its dividend from last year's comparable payment to CN¥0.10 on the 16th of August. The dividend yield will be in the average range for the industry at 1.3%.

Check out our latest analysis for Goldwind Science And Technology

Goldwind Science And Technology's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Based on the last payment, earnings were actually smaller than the dividend, and the company was actually spending more cash than it was making. This high of a dividend payment could start to put pressure on the balance sheet in the future.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise exponentially over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 13%, which would make us comfortable with the dividend's sustainability, despite the levels currently being elevated.

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 CN¥0.0615 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was CN¥0.10. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 5.0% a year over that time. It's encouraging to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth anyway, which makes this less attractive as an income investment.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

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. Earnings per share has been sinking by 38% over the last 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.

We're Not Big Fans Of Goldwind Science And Technology's Dividend

Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. The company isn't making enough to be paying as much as it is, and the other factors don't look particularly promising either. We don't think that this is a great candidate to be an income stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Goldwind Science And Technology (of which 2 don't sit too well with us!) you should know about. 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.