Pressance (TSE:3254) Is Increasing Its Dividend To ¥23.00

The board of Pressance Corporation (TSE:3254) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend by 9.5% on the 18th of December to ¥23.00, up from last year's comparable payment of ¥21.00. This will take the annual payment to 2.3% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

Check out our latest analysis for Pressance

Pressance's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, Pressance's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. We think that cash flows should take priority over earnings, so this is definitely a worry for the dividend going forward.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 0.6%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could be 19%, which we are pretty comfortable with and we think is feasible on an earnings basis.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥10.00 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥42.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 15% over that duration. Pressance has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

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. In the last five years, Pressance's earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 2.3% per annum. If earnings continue declining, the company may have to make the difficult choice of reducing the dividend or even stopping it completely - the opposite of dividend growth.

Pressance's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Pressance will make a great income stock. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think Pressance is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Pressance (of which 2 are a bit concerning!) you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.