The board of Inpex Corporation (TSE:1605) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 27th of March, with investors receiving ¥43.00 per share. This takes the annual payment to 4.2% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.
View our latest analysis for Inpex
Inpex's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Before making this announcement, Inpex was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 4.5% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 36% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Inpex Has A Solid Track Record
The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥18.00 total annually to ¥86.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 17% per annum over that time. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.
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. It's encouraging to see that Inpex has been growing its earnings per share at 29% a year over the past five years. Earnings per share is growing at a solid clip, and the payout ratio is low which we think is an ideal combination in a dividend stock as the company can quite easily raise the dividend in the future.
We Really Like Inpex's Dividend
Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
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 1 warning sign for Inpex 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:1605
Inpex
Engages in the research, exploration, development, production, and sale of oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources in Japan, rest of Asia and Oceania, Europe and NIS countries, the Middle East and Africa, and the Americas.
6 star dividend payer with excellent balance sheet.