IHI (TSE:7013) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of ¥50.00

IHI Corporation (TSE:7013) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ¥50.00 per share on the 9th of December. This means that the annual payment will be 2.0% 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 IHI's stock price has increased by 42% 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 IHI

IHI's Distributions May Be Difficult To Sustain

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. The company is paying out a large amount of its cash flows, even though it isn't generating any profit. This is quite a strong warning sign that the dividend may not be sustainable.

Analysts expect the EPS to grow by 41.2% over the next 12 months. While it is good to see income moving in the right direction, it still looks like the company won't achieve profitability. Unless this happens fairly soon, the dividend could start to come under pressure.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥60.00 total annually to ¥100.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 5.2% a year over that time. A reasonable rate of dividend growth is good to see, but we're wary that the dividend history is not as solid as we'd like, having been cut at least once.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. Earnings per share has been sinking by 22% over the last five years. This steep decline can indicate that the business is going through a tough time, which could constrain its ability to pay a larger dividend each year in the future. On the bright side, earnings are predicted to gain some ground over the next year, but until this turns into a pattern we wouldn't be feeling too comfortable.

IHI's Dividend Doesn't Look Great

Overall, this isn't a great candidate as an income investment, even though the dividend was stable this year. The company isn't making enough to be paying as much as it is, and the other factors don't look particularly promising either. Overall, this doesn't get us very excited from an income standpoint.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for IHI you should be aware of, and 2 of them are concerning. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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.

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