Yau Lee Holdings (HKG:406) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of HK$0.025

Yau Lee Holdings Limited (HKG:406) will pay a dividend of HK$0.025 on the 10th of October. The dividend yield is 4.2% based on this payment, which is a little bit low compared to the other companies in the industry.

See our latest analysis for Yau Lee Holdings

Yau Lee Holdings' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Prior to this announcement, Yau Lee Holdings' earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 17.4% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 31% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

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. The dividend has gone from an annual total of HK$0.0276 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of HK$0.05. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.1% a year over that time. We like to see dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

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. It's encouraging to see that Yau Lee Holdings has been growing its earnings per share at 17% a year over the past five years. A low payout ratio and decent growth suggests that the company is reinvesting well, and it also has plenty of room to increase the dividend over time.

In Summary

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Yau Lee Holdings' payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. While the low payout ratio is a 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.

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. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Yau Lee Holdings (of which 1 is concerning!) 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.

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