SCAT Inc. (TSE:3974) Passed Our Checks, And It's About To Pay A JP¥7.00 Dividend

SCAT Inc. (TSE:3974) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Therefore, if you purchase SCAT's shares on or after the 30th of October, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 31st of January.

The company's upcoming dividend is JP¥7.00 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of JP¥14.00 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, SCAT stock has a trailing yield of around 3.6% on the current share price of JP¥394.00. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

View our latest analysis for SCAT

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. SCAT paid out a comfortable 30% of its profit last year. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. The good news is it paid out just 24% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that SCAT's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see how much of its profit SCAT paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. This is why it's a relief to see SCAT earnings per share are up 7.4% per annum over the last five years. Management have been reinvested more than half of the company's earnings within the business, and the company has been able to grow earnings with this retained capital. Organisations that reinvest heavily in themselves typically get stronger over time, which can bring attractive benefits such as stronger earnings and dividends.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, seven years ago, SCAT has lifted its dividend by approximately 11% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy SCAT for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share growth has been growing somewhat, and SCAT is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends. This is interesting for a few reasons, as it suggests management may be reinvesting heavily in the business, but it also provides room to increase the dividend in time. We would prefer to see earnings growing faster, but the best dividend stocks over the long term typically combine significant earnings per share growth with a low payout ratio, and SCAT is halfway there. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

So while SCAT looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. We've identified 5 warning signs with SCAT (at least 2 which are significant), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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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.