Mitachi (TSE:3321) Will Pay A Dividend Of ¥25.00

Mitachi Co., Ltd.'s (TSE:3321) investors are due to receive a payment of ¥25.00 per share on 26th of August. This makes the dividend yield 4.5%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

View our latest analysis for Mitachi

Mitachi's Future Dividend Projections Appear Well Covered By Earnings

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, Mitachi's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 8.8% if recent trends continue. 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.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥20.00 in 2015, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥50.00. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 9.6% over that duration. It's good to see the dividend growing at a decent rate, but the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Mitachi might have put its house in order since then, but we remain cautious.

We Could See Mitachi's Dividend Growing

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. We are encouraged to see that Mitachi has grown earnings per share at 8.8% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

In Summary

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Mitachi has 5 warning signs (and 2 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.