Sundrug Co.,Ltd. (TSE:9989) will pay a dividend of ¥65.00 on the 24th of June. This takes the dividend yield to 3.3%, which shareholders will be pleased with.
See our latest analysis for SundrugLtd
SundrugLtd's Projected Earnings Seem Likely To Cover Future Distributions
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last dividend, SundrugLtd is earning enough to cover the payment, but then it makes up 746% of cash flows. This signals that the company is more focused on returning cash flow to shareholders, but it could mean that the dividend is exposed to cuts in the future.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 5.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 55%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
SundrugLtd Has A Solid Track Record
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥26.00 total annually to ¥130.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 17% 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 May Be Hard To Achieve
Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Earnings have grown at around 2.6% a year for the past five years, which isn't massive but still better than seeing them shrink. Growth of 2.6% per annum is not particularly high, which might explain why the company is paying out a higher proportion of earnings. While this isn't necessarily a negative, it definitely signals that dividend growth could be constrained in the future unless earnings start to pick up again.
Our Thoughts On SundrugLtd's Dividend
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think SundrugLtd will make a great income stock. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for SundrugLtd that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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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.
About TSE:9989
SundrugLtd
Operates and manages drug stores and dispensing pharmacies in Japan.
Excellent balance sheet with proven track record and pays a dividend.