Titan Company Limited (NSE:TITAN) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ₹11.00 per share on the 21st of August. This payment means the dividend yield will be 0.3%, which is below the average for the industry.
Titan's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage
Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Prior to this announcement, Titan's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 105.1% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 17%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
See our latest analysis for Titan
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from ₹2.30 total annually to ₹11.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 17% per annum 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.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. We are encouraged to see that Titan has grown earnings per share at 17% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio and decent growth suggests that the company is reinvesting well, and it also has plenty of room to increase the dividend over time.
Our Thoughts On Titan'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. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for Titan you should be aware of, and 1 of them is concerning. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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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.