DRAFT's (TSE:5070) Dividend Will Be Increased To ¥7.00

DRAFT Inc.'s (TSE:5070) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 31st of March to ¥7.00, with investors receiving 17% more than last year's ¥6.00. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 1.1%.

Check out our latest analysis for DRAFT

DRAFT's Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. Before making this announcement, DRAFT was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 22.7% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 6.4% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

DRAFT Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

The company has maintained a consistent dividend for a few years now, but we would like to see a longer track record before relying on it. Since 2020, the annual payment back then was ¥4.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥6.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11% a year over that time. The dividend has been growing rapidly, however with such a short payment history we can't know for sure if payment can continue to grow over the long term, so caution may be warranted.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. We are encouraged to see that DRAFT has grown earnings per share at 23% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

DRAFT Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

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 example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for DRAFT that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.