Eisai's (TSE:4523) Dividend Will Be ¥80.00

The board of Eisai Co., Ltd. (TSE:4523) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ¥80.00 per share on the 1st of July. This means that the annual payment will be 2.6% of the current stock price, which is in line with the average for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Eisai

Eisai's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 101% of what it was earning. This situation certainly isn't ideal, and could place significant strain on the balance sheet if it continues.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 65.0% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 62%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.

Eisai Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥150.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥160.00. Its dividends have grown at less than 1% per annum over this time frame. Dividends have grown relatively slowly, which is not great, but some investors may value the relative consistency of the dividend.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. In the last five years, Eisai's earnings per share has shrunk at approximately 6.6% per annum. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.

Eisai's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. We can't deny that the payments have been very stable, but we are a little bit worried about the very high payout ratio. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Eisai that you should be aware of before investing. Is Eisai 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.