Henderson Investment's (HKG:97) Dividend Will Be HK$0.01

Henderson Investment Limited (HKG:97) has announced that it will pay a dividend of HK$0.01 per share on the 16th of June. This makes the dividend yield 5.8%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

Check out our latest analysis for Henderson Investment

Henderson Investment Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 179% of what it was earning, however the dividend was quite comfortably covered by free cash flows at a cash payout ratio of only 22%. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.

If the company can't turn things around, EPS could fall by 19.4% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 197%, which could put the dividend in jeopardy if the company's earnings don't improve.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least 1 cut in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the first annual payment was HK$0.04, compared to the most recent full-year payment of HK$0.02. This works out to be a decline of approximately 6.7% per year over that time. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Dividends have been going in the wrong direction, so we definitely want to see a different trend in the earnings per share. Henderson Investment's earnings per share has shrunk at 19% a year over the past 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.

Henderson Investment's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. 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 probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

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. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Henderson Investment (1 can't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing. 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.