China National Building Material (HKG:3323) Is Reducing Its Dividend To CN¥0.2524

China National Building Material Company Limited (HKG:3323) has announced that on 28th of June, it will be paying a dividend ofCN¥0.2524, which a reduction from last year's comparable dividend. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 8.1%, which is lower than the average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for China National Building Material

China National Building Material's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. The last dividend was quite easily covered by China National Building Material's earnings. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 52.1%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 43%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from CN¥0.155 total annually to CN¥0.229. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 4.0% over that duration. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.

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 13% 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.

Our Thoughts On China National Building Material's Dividend

In summary, dividends being cut isn't ideal, however it can bring the payment into a more sustainable range. 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 China National Building Material is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for China National Building Material (of which 1 shouldn't be ignored!) you should know about. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.