JM (STO:JM) Is Increasing Its Dividend To kr13.50

The board of JM AB (publ) (STO:JM) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 7th of April to kr13.50. This takes the annual payment to 4.7% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.

See our latest analysis for JM

JM's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. Prior to this announcement, JM's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 7.3% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could be 60%, which we are pretty comfortable with and we think is feasible on an earnings basis.

JM Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was kr4.50 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was kr13.50. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 12% a year over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.

JM Could Grow Its Dividend

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. JM has impressed us by growing EPS at 5.2% per year over the past five years. The lack of cash flows does make us a bit cautious though, especially when it comes to the future of the dividend.

Our Thoughts On JM's Dividend

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think JM will make a great income stock. While the low payout ratio is redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've identified 4 warning signs for JM (2 make us uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing. Is JM 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.