Nittetsu Mining (TSE:1515) Is Reducing Its Dividend To ¥80.00

Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd. (TSE:1515) is reducing its dividend from last year's comparable payment to ¥80.00 on the 27th of November. The dividend yield will be in the average range for the industry at 3.2%.

Check out our latest analysis for Nittetsu Mining

Nittetsu Mining's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Based on the last payment, Nittetsu Mining was paying only paying out a fraction of earnings, but the payment was a massive 106% of cash flows. The business might be trying to strike a balance between returning cash to shareholders and reinvesting back into the business, but this high of a payout ratio could definitely force the dividend to be cut if the company runs into a bit of a tough spot.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 4.3% if recent trends continue. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 47% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥35.00 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥161.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 16% over that duration. It is great to see strong growth in the dividend payments, but cuts are concerning as it may indicate the payout policy is too ambitious.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Earnings have grown at around 4.3% a year for the past five years, which isn't massive but still better than seeing them shrink. While growth may be thin on the ground, Nittetsu Mining could always pay out a higher proportion of earnings to increase shareholder returns.

In Summary

Overall, it's not great to see that the dividend has been cut, but this might be explained by the payments being a bit high previously. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Nittetsu Mining that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com