Wellcall Holdings Berhad (KLSE:WELLCAL) Will Pay A Dividend Of MYR0.022

Wellcall Holdings Berhad (KLSE:WELLCAL) will pay a dividend of MYR0.022 on the 20th of December. The dividend yield of 5.6% is still a nice boost to shareholder returns, despite the cut.

See our latest analysis for Wellcall Holdings Berhad

Wellcall Holdings Berhad'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. Based on the last dividend, Wellcall Holdings Berhad is earning enough to cover the payment, but then it makes up 102% of cash flows. The company might be more focused on returning cash to shareholders, but paying out this much of its cash flow could expose the dividend to being cut in the future.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 33.2%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 70% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was MYR0.0507 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was MYR0.088. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 5.7% per annum over that time. We have seen cuts in the past, so while the growth looks promising we would be a little bit cautious about its track record.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Earnings has been rising at 5.0% per annum over the last five years, which admittedly is a bit slow. Wellcall Holdings Berhad is struggling to find viable investments, so it is returning more to shareholders. While this isn't necessarily a negative, it definitely signals that dividend growth could be constrained in the future unless earnings start to pick up again.

In Summary

Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We don't think Wellcall Holdings Berhad is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Wellcall Holdings Berhad that you should be aware of before investing. 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.