Ester Industries (NSE:ESTER) Will Pay A Dividend Of ₹1.90

Ester Industries Limited's (NSE:ESTER) investors are due to receive a payment of ₹1.90 per share on 26th of October. This makes the dividend yield 2.0%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

See our latest analysis for Ester Industries

Ester Industries' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Ester Industries' earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. 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.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 48.6% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 12%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Ester Industries' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Even in its relatively short history, the company has reduced the dividend at least once. Due to this, we are a little bit cautious about the dividend consistency over a full economic cycle. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ₹0.50 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of ₹3.30. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 27% a year 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

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Ester Industries has impressed us by growing EPS at 49% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

In Summary

Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. While Ester Industries 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. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Ester Industries has 2 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about. Is Ester Industries 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.