The board of Toagosei Co., Ltd. (TSE:4045) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 31st of March, with investors receiving ¥30.00 per share. However, the dividend yield of 3.8% is still a decent boost to shareholder returns.
See our latest analysis for Toagosei
Toagosei's Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Toagosei's dividend was only 53% of earnings, however it was paying out 113% of free cash flows. The company might be more focused on returning cash to shareholders, but paying out this much of its cash flow could expose the dividend to being cut in the future.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 5.4%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 51%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Toagosei Has A Solid Track Record
The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥20.00 total annually to ¥60.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 12% per annum over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.
The Dividend Has Growth Potential
Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Toagosei has impressed us by growing EPS at 5.5% per year over the past five years. While on an earnings basis, this company looks appealing as an income stock, the cash payout ratio still makes us cautious.
In Summary
Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We don't think Toagosei is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Toagosei that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.
About TSE:4045
Toagosei
Manufactures, distributes, and sells chemical products in Japan and internationally.
Flawless balance sheet with solid track record and pays a dividend.