Nakamuraya (TSE:2204) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of ¥50.00

Nakamuraya Co., Ltd. (TSE:2204) will pay a dividend of ¥50.00 on the 1st of July. This means the dividend yield will be fairly typical at 1.6%.

Check out our latest analysis for Nakamuraya

Nakamuraya's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Prior to this announcement, Nakamuraya's dividend made up quite a large proportion of earnings but only of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 1.7% if the company continues along the path it has been on recently. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 77%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.

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 annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥100.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥50.00. The dividend has shrunk at around 6.7% a year during that period. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS is growing. Unfortunately, Nakamuraya's earnings per share has been essentially flat over the past five years, which means the dividend may not be increased each year. Earnings are not growing quickly at all, and the company is paying out most of its profit as dividends. When the rate of return on reinvestment opportunities falls below a certain minimum level, companies often elect to pay a larger dividend instead. This is why many mature companies often have larger dividend yields.

In Summary

Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Nakamuraya that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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.