JGC Holdings (TSE:1963) Is Increasing Its Dividend To ¥40.00

JGC Holdings Corporation's (TSE:1963) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to ¥40.00 on 1st of July. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 2.6%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

View our latest analysis for JGC Holdings

JGC Holdings' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Based on the last payment, JGC Holdings was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 98.4%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 24% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥45.50 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥40.00. The dividend has shrunk at around 1.3% a year during that period. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

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. JGC Holdings has impressed us by growing EPS at 24% per year over the past five years. The company's earnings per share has grown rapidly in recent years, and it has a good balance between reinvesting and paying dividends to shareholders, so we think that JGC Holdings could prove to be a strong dividend payer.

JGC Holdings Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For instance, we've picked out 3 warning signs for JGC Holdings that investors should take into consideration. Is JGC Holdings 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.