Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services (NSE:M&MFIN) Is Increasing Its Dividend To ₹3.60

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited's (NSE:M&MFIN) dividend will be increasing to ₹3.60 on 27th of August. This will take the annual payment from 2.0% to 2.0% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

View our latest analysis for Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Prior to this announcement, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' 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.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 52.3%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 24%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from ₹2.80 to ₹3.60. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 2.5% a year over that time. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. Although it's important to note that Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services' earnings per share has basically not grown from where it was five years ago, which could erode the purchasing power of the dividend over time. If Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services is struggling to find viable investments, it always has the option to increase its payout ratio to pay more to shareholders.

In Summary

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While the low payout ratio is redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. 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. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. 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.