Fiskars Oyj Abp (HEL:FSKRS) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At €0.38

Fiskars Oyj Abp (HEL:FSKRS) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 16th of September to €0.38. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 4.2%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Fiskars Oyj Abp

Fiskars Oyj Abp's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. Based on the last payment, Fiskars Oyj Abp's earnings were much higher than the dividend, but it wasn't converting those earnings into cash flow. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 27.5%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 41%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

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. Since 2012, the annual payment back then was €1.37, compared to the most recent full-year payment of €0.76. The dividend has shrunk at around 5.7% a year during that period. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Dividends have been going in the wrong direction, so we definitely want to see a different trend in the earnings per share. Fiskars Oyj Abp's earnings per share has shrunk at 10% a year over the past five years. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. 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.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While the low payout ratio is redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Fiskars Oyj Abp 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.