SERAKU Co., Ltd. (TSE:6199) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 25th of November to ¥13.00. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 1.1%.
View our latest analysis for SERAKU
SERAKU's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings
It would be nice for the yield to be higher, but we should also check if higher levels of dividend payment would be sustainable. However, SERAKU's earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 14.9%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 13% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
SERAKU Doesn't Have A Long Payment History
It is great to see that SERAKU has been paying a stable dividend for a number of years now, however we want to be a bit cautious about whether this will remain true through a full economic cycle. Since 2018, the annual payment back then was ¥3.20, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥13.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 26% per annum over that time. The dividend has been growing rapidly, however with such a short payment history we can't know for sure if payment can continue to grow over the long term, so caution may be warranted.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. It's encouraging to see that SERAKU has been growing its earnings per share at 31% a year over the past five years. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.
SERAKU Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that SERAKU is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for SERAKU that you should be aware of before investing. Is SERAKU 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.
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About TSE:6199
Flawless balance sheet and undervalued.