Tan Chong International (HKG:693) Will Pay A Dividend Of HK$0.045

The board of Tan Chong International Limited (HKG:693) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 27th of June, with investors receiving HK$0.045 per share. However, the dividend yield of 5.6% is still a decent boost to shareholder returns.

View our latest analysis for Tan Chong International

Tan Chong International's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Based on the last payment, Tan Chong International was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

Unless the company can turn things around, EPS could fall by 14.1% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could be 61%, which we are pretty comfortable with and we think is feasible on an earnings basis.

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 HK$0.09 total annually to HK$0.075. The dividend has shrunk at around 1.8% a year during that period. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Tan Chong International's earnings per share has shrunk at 14% a year over the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in.

In Summary

In summary, dividends being cut isn't ideal, however it can bring the payment into a more sustainable range. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. To that end, Tan Chong International has 3 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about. Is Tan Chong International not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.