Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services (NSE:M&MFIN) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To ₹6.30

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited's (NSE:M&MFIN) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 22nd of August to ₹6.30, with investors receiving 5.0% more than last year's ₹6.00. This takes the dividend yield to 2.4%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

See our latest analysis for Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 70.5%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 25%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ₹3.80 total annually to ₹6.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 4.7% over that duration. It's encouraging to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth anyway, which makes this less attractive as an income investment.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' earnings per share has shrunk at 12% a year over the past five years. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' payments are rock solid. While Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. 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. 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 Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. Is Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services 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.