AEON Mall (TSE:8905) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of ¥25.00

AEON Mall Co., Ltd.'s (TSE:8905) investors are due to receive a payment of ¥25.00 per share on 21st of October. 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.

View our latest analysis for AEON Mall

AEON Mall's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. The last dividend was quite easily covered by AEON Mall's earnings. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 45.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 42% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

AEON Mall Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥22.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥50.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 8.6% a year over that time. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination as it provides a nice boost to shareholder returns.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. AEON Mall has seen earnings per share falling at 9.5% per year over the last five years. A modest decline in earnings isn't great, and it makes it quite unlikely that the dividend will grow in the future unless that trend can be reversed. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.

In Summary

In summary, we are pleased with the dividend remaining consistent, and we think there is a good chance of this continuing in the future. The earnings coverage is acceptable for now, but with earnings on the decline we would definitely keep an eye on the payout ratio. The payment isn't stellar, but it could make a decent addition to a dividend portfolio.

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. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for AEON Mall that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.