Members' (TSE:2130) Dividend Will Be Increased To ¥31.00

Members Co., Ltd. (TSE:2130) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 19th of June to ¥31.00. This takes the dividend yield to 3.4%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

See our latest analysis for Members

Members' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 158% of what it was earning and 89% of cash flows. The company could be more focused on returning cash to shareholders, but this could indicate that growth opportunities are few and far between.

Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 141.1% over the next year. If recent patterns in the dividend continues, the payout ratio in 12 months could be 83% which is a bit high but can definitely be sustainable.

Members Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

Members' dividend has been pretty stable for a little while now, but we will continue to be cautious until it has been demonstrated for a few more years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥4.50 in 2016 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥31.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 27% per annum over that time. We're not overly excited about the relatively short history of dividend payments, however the dividend is growing at a nice rate and we might take a closer look.

The Dividend Has Limited Growth Potential

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. However, things aren't all that rosy. Earnings per share has been sinking by 16% over the last five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. However, the next year is actually looking up, with earnings set to rise. We would just wait until it becomes a pattern before getting too excited.

Members' Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. The payments are bit high to be considered sustainable, and the track record isn't the best. 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. 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 4 warning signs for Members that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Members not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.