AIT (TSE:9381) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of ¥40.00

AIT Corporation (TSE:9381) has announced that it will pay a dividend of ¥40.00 per share on the 23rd of May. This makes the dividend yield 4.6%, which will augment investor returns quite nicely.

See our latest analysis for AIT

AIT's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, AIT's profits didn't cover the dividend, but the company was generating enough cash instead. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 16.4% over the next 12 months. Assuming the dividend continues along the course it has been charting recently, our estimates show the payout ratio being 62% which brings it into quite a comfortable range.

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The annual payment during the last 10 years was ¥16.00 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was ¥80.00. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 17% per annum over that time. Despite the rapid growth in the dividend over the past number of years, we have seen the payments go down the past as well, so that makes us cautious.

Dividend Growth Could Be Constrained

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. We are encouraged to see that AIT has grown earnings per share at 16% per year over the past five years. Although per-share earnings are growing at a credible rate, the massive payout ratio may limit growth in the company's future dividend payments.

In Summary

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about AIT's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

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. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for AIT that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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.