Torrent Power (NSE:TORNTPOWER) Will Pay A Dividend Of ₹4.00

The board of Torrent Power Limited (NSE:TORNTPOWER) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ₹4.00 per share on the 29th of August. This payment means the dividend yield will be 0.9%, which is below the average for the industry.

While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. Investors will be pleased to see that Torrent Power's stock price has increased by 32% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.

See our latest analysis for Torrent Power

Torrent Power's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

It would be nice for the yield to be higher, but we should also check if higher levels of dividend payment would be sustainable. Based on the last dividend, Torrent Power is earning enough to cover the payment, but then it makes up 104% of cash flows. This signals that the company is more focused on returning cash flow to shareholders, but it could mean that the dividend is exposed to cuts in the future.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 78.3% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 28% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ₹2.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ₹13.00. 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.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

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. Torrent Power has impressed us by growing EPS at 15% per year over the past five years. The lack of cash flows does make us a bit cautious though, especially when it comes to the future of 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. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. 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. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Torrent Power that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Torrent Power 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.