STrustLtd (TSE:3280) Is Increasing Its Dividend To ¥12.00

STrust Co.,Ltd. (TSE:3280) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 13th of November to ¥12.00. This will take the annual payment to 3.5% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

See our latest analysis for STrustLtd

STrustLtd's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. However, prior to this announcement, STrustLtd's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

EPS is set to fall by 0.3% over the next 12 months if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 16%, which is definitely feasible to continue.

STrustLtd Has A Solid Track Record

Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥6.00 total annually to ¥24.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 15% per annum over that time. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. However, STrustLtd's EPS was effectively flat over the past five years, which could stop the company from paying more every year.

Our Thoughts On STrustLtd's Dividend

In summary, it's great to see that the company can raise the dividend and keep it in a sustainable range. While the payments look sustainable for now, earnings have been shrinking so the dividend could come under pressure in the future. The payment isn't stellar, but it could make a decent addition to a dividend portfolio.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. To that end, STrustLtd has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about. Is STrustLtd 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.