Suzuden (TSE:7480) Has Announced That Its Dividend Will Be Reduced To ¥39.00

Suzuden Corporation (TSE:7480) has announced that on 6th of December, it will be paying a dividend of¥39.00, which a reduction from last year's comparable dividend. This means the annual payment is 4.5% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.

See our latest analysis for Suzuden

Suzuden's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Before this announcement, Suzuden was paying out 91% of earnings, but a comparatively small 34% of free cash flows. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business.

EPS is set to grow by 9.2% over the next year if recent trends continue. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, our estimates say the payout ratio could reach 79%, which is definitely on the higher side, but we wouldn't necessarily say this is unsustainable.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from ¥10.00 total annually to ¥89.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 24% a year over that time. Suzuden 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 Has Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Suzuden has impressed us by growing EPS at 9.2% per year over the past five years. The payout ratio is very much on the higher end, which could mean that the growth rate will slow down in the future, and that could flow through to the dividend as well.

In Summary

Overall, it's not great to see that the dividend has been cut, but this might be explained by the payments being a bit high previously. In the past, the payments have been unstable, but over the short term the dividend could be reliable, with the company generating enough cash to cover it. 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. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Suzuden that investors should take into consideration. 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.

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