Nabtesco (TSE:6268) Has Announced A Dividend Of ¥40.00

Nabtesco Corporation (TSE:6268) will pay a dividend of ¥40.00 on the 27th of March. This means that the annual payment will be 2.1% of the current stock price, which is in line with 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 Nabtesco's stock price has increased by 37% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.

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Nabtesco's Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Prior to this announcement, Nabtesco's dividend made up quite a large proportion of earnings but only 61% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 14.6%. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 70% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.

Check out our latest analysis for Nabtesco

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥40.00 in 2015, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥80.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 7.2% over that duration. We like to see dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. In the last five years, Nabtesco's earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 7.9% per annum. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.

Our Thoughts On Nabtesco's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Nabtesco's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. 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. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Nabtesco that investors should take into consideration. Is Nabtesco 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.