Wakachiku Construction (TSE:1888) Has Announced A Dividend Of ¥100.00

The board of Wakachiku Construction Co., Ltd. (TSE:1888) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 10th of June, with investors receiving ¥100.00 per share. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 3.1%.

Check out our latest analysis for Wakachiku Construction

Wakachiku Construction's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Prior to this announcement, Wakachiku Construction's 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.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 13.3% if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 23%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Wakachiku Construction Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was ¥20.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥100.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 17% per annum over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. It's encouraging to see that Wakachiku Construction has been growing its earnings per share at 13% a 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 Wakachiku Construction's Dividend

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 the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Wakachiku Construction that you should be aware of before investing. Is Wakachiku Construction not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.