Meiho Enterprise (TSE:8927) Has Announced A Dividend Of ¥5.50

The board of Meiho Enterprise Co., Ltd. (TSE:8927) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 27th of October, with investors receiving ¥5.50 per share. This means the annual payment is 3.2% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.

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Meiho Enterprise's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Meiho Enterprise is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. We think that cash flows should take priority over earnings, so this is definitely a worry for the dividend going forward.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 19.5% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 32%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Check out our latest analysis for Meiho Enterprise

Meiho Enterprise Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

The dividend's track record has been pretty solid, but with only 8 years of history we want to see a few more years of history before making any solid conclusions. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥5.00 in 2017 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥11.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 10% per annum over that time. It is always nice to see strong dividend growth, but with such a short payment history we wouldn't be inclined to rely on it until a longer track record can be developed.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. It's encouraging to see that Meiho Enterprise has been growing its earnings per share at 19% a year over the past five years. A low payout ratio and decent growth suggests that the company is reinvesting well, and it also has plenty of room to increase the dividend over time.

Our Thoughts On Meiho Enterprise's Dividend

In summary, dividends being cut isn't ideal, however it can bring the payment into a more sustainable range. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Case in point: We've spotted 5 warning signs for Meiho Enterprise (of which 2 are potentially serious!) you should know about. Is Meiho Enterprise 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.