The board of Shizuoka Gas Co., Ltd. (TSE:9543) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 2nd of September, with investors receiving ¥13.00 per share. This will take the annual payment to 2.8% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.
See our latest analysis for Shizuoka Gas
Shizuoka Gas' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. However, Shizuoka Gas' earnings easily cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 2.4%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 35% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Shizuoka Gas Has A Solid Track Record
The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ¥10.00 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of ¥26.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10% a year over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Shizuoka Gas has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 18% per annum. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for Shizuoka Gas' prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.
We Really Like Shizuoka Gas' Dividend
Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. 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 Shizuoka Gas that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Shizuoka Gas 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.
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About TSE:9543
Excellent balance sheet established dividend payer.
