West Japan Railway's (TSE:9021) Dividend Will Be ¥43.00

West Japan Railway Company (TSE:9021) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ¥43.00 per share on the 28th of November. This makes the dividend yield 2.5%, which is above the industry average.

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West Japan Railway's Projected Earnings Seem Likely To Cover Future Distributions

A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. West Japan Railway is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 0.3%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 33% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

See our latest analysis for West Japan Railway

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from ¥60.00 total annually to ¥86.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 3.7% a year over that time. It's encouraging to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth anyway, which makes this less attractive as an income investment.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. West Japan Railway has impressed us by growing EPS at 65% per year over the past five years. Rapid earnings growth and a low payout ratio suggest this company has been effectively reinvesting in its business. Should that continue, this company could have a bright future.

In Summary

Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While West Japan Railway is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for West Japan Railway you should be aware of, and 2 of them are concerning. Is West Japan Railway 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.