Geo Holdings (TSE:2681) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At ¥17.00

Geo Holdings Corporation (TSE:2681) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 1st of July to ¥17.00. This will take the annual payment to 1.8% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

See our latest analysis for Geo Holdings

Geo Holdings' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Geo Holdings is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 4.5% over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 14%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥32.00 total annually to ¥34.00. Dividend payments have been growing, but very slowly over the period. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. However, Geo Holdings has only grown its earnings per share at 4.5% per annum over the past five years. Earnings growth is slow, but on the plus side, the dividend payout ratio is low and dividends could grow faster than earnings, if the company decides to increase its payout ratio.

Our Thoughts On Geo Holdings' Dividend

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Geo Holdings' payments are rock solid. While Geo Holdings is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Geo Holdings (1 is a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing. 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.