FUJIFILM Holdings (TSE:4901) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At ¥80.00

The board of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (TSE:4901) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend by 14% on the 1st of July to ¥80.00, up from last year's comparable payment of ¥70.00. This takes the annual payment to 1.4% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.

Check out our latest analysis for FUJIFILM Holdings

FUJIFILM Holdings' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. Based on the last payment, FUJIFILM Holdings was earning enough to cover the dividend, but free cash flows weren't positive. 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.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 15.9%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 24% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥40.00 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥140.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 13% per annum over that time. FUJIFILM Holdings has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. FUJIFILM Holdings has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 17% per annum. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for FUJIFILM Holdings' prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.

Our Thoughts On FUJIFILM Holdings' Dividend

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While FUJIFILM Holdings is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

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. Earnings growth generally bodes well for the future value of company dividend payments. See if the 14 FUJIFILM Holdings analysts we track are forecasting continued growth with our free report on analyst estimates for the company. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.