Fujitsu General (TSE:6755) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To ¥19.00

Fujitsu General Limited's (TSE:6755) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to ¥19.00 on 4th of December. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 1.9%.

View our latest analysis for Fujitsu General

Fujitsu General Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 123% of what it was earning, however the dividend was quite comfortably covered by free cash flows at a cash payout ratio of only 12%. Generally, we think cash is more important than accounting measures of profit, so with the cash flows easily covering the dividend, we don't think there is much reason to worry.

The next 12 months is set to see EPS grow by 26.9%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 107%, which probably can't continue without putting some pressure on the balance sheet.

Fujitsu General Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was ¥12.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥38.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 12% over that duration. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. Over the past five years, it looks as though Fujitsu General's EPS has declined at around 19% a year. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. 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 becomes a long term trend.

In Summary

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Fujitsu General will make a great income stock. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 3 warning signs for Fujitsu General that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Fujitsu General 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.

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