Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad (KLSE:LYSAGHT) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To MYR0.05

Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad (KLSE:LYSAGHT) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 24th of July to MYR0.05. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 3.5%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

View our latest analysis for Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad

Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. However, prior to this announcement, Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 8.2% over the next 12 months. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 21% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable 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 MYR0.12 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was MYR0.10. The dividend has shrunk at around 1.8% a year during that period. Generally, we don't like to see a dividend that has been declining over time as this can degrade shareholders' returns and indicate that the company may be running into problems.

The Dividend Has Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad has impressed us by growing EPS at 8.2% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

We Really Like Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad's Dividend

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Lysaght Galvanized Steel Berhad is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend 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. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Lysaght Galvanized Steel 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.