MRF (NSE:MRF) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of ₹3.00

The board of MRF Limited (NSE:MRF) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 3rd of December, with investors receiving ₹3.00 per share. Including this payment, the dividend yield on the stock will be 0.2%, which is a modest boost for shareholders' returns.

See our latest analysis for MRF

MRF's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Before making this announcement, MRF was paying a whopping 129% as a dividend, but this only made up 4.4% of its overall earnings. A cash payout ratio this high could put the dividend under pressure and force the company to reduce it in the future if it were to run into tough times.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 25.7%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 3.9% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from ₹25.00 total annually to ₹175.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 21% a year over that time. Despite the rapid growth in the dividend over the past number of years, we have seen the payments go down the past as well, so that makes us cautious.

MRF Could Grow Its Dividend

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. MRF has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 8.4% per annum. MRF definitely has the potential to grow its dividend in the future with earnings on an uptrend and a low payout ratio.

Our Thoughts On MRF's Dividend

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Earnings growth generally bodes well for the future value of company dividend payments. See if the 7 MRF analysts we track are forecasting continued growth with our free report on analyst estimates for the company. Is MRF 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.