The board of SSY Group Limited (HKG:2005) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 3rd of June, with investors receiving HK$0.095 per share. However, the dividend yield of 5.8% is still a decent boost to shareholder returns.
SSY Group's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Before making this announcement, SSY Group was earning enough to cover the dividend, but it wasn't generating any free cash flows. 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 39.6%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 40% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
See our latest analysis for SSY Group
Dividend Volatility
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2015, the annual payment back then was HK$0.06, compared to the most recent full-year payment of HK$0.175. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11% a year over that time. Dividends have grown rapidly over this time, but with cuts in the past we are not certain that this stock will be a reliable source of income in the future.
Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. However, SSY Group's EPS was effectively flat over the past five years, which could stop the company from paying more every year.
SSY Group's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable
Overall, it's not great to see that the dividend has been cut, but this might be explained by the payments being a bit high previously. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think SSY Group is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
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 SSY Group 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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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.
About SEHK:2005
SSY Group
An investment holding company, research, develops, manufactures, trades in, and sells various pharmaceutical products to hospitals and distributors in the People’s Republic of China and internationally.
Good value with adequate balance sheet.
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