The board of Sino Land Company Limited (HKG:83) has announced that it will pay a dividend of HK$0.15 per share on the 17th of April. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 6.8%.
Check out our latest analysis for Sino Land
Sino Land's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Prior to this announcement, Sino Land's dividend was making up a very large proportion of earnings, and the company was also not generating any cash flow to offset this. We think that this practice can make the dividend quite risky in the future.
EPS is set to grow by 4.7% over the next year. If recent patterns in the dividend continues, the payout ratio in 12 months could be 80% which is a bit high but can definitely be sustainable.
Sino Land Has A Solid Track Record
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from an annual total of HK$0.48 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of HK$0.58. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 1.9% a year over that time. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted.
Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. Sino Land has seen earnings per share falling at 7.3% per year over the last five years. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.
The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable
Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. In the past the payments have been stable, but we think the company is paying out too much for this to continue for the long term. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Sino Land that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.
New: Manage All Your Stock Portfolios in One Place
We've created the ultimate portfolio companion for stock investors, and it's free.
• Connect an unlimited number of Portfolios and see your total in one currency
• Be alerted to new Warning Signs or Risks via email or mobile
• Track the Fair Value of your stocks
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.
About SEHK:83
Sino Land
An investment holding company, invests in, develops, manages, and trades in properties.
Flawless balance sheet and fair value.