Clas Ohlson's (STO:CLAS B) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's

The board of Clas Ohlson AB (publ) (STO:CLAS B) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of SEK6.50 on the 20th of January, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. This takes the dividend yield to 10.0%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. Clas Ohlson's stock price has reduced by 36% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.

See our latest analysis for Clas Ohlson

Clas Ohlson Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Based on the last payment, the company wasn't making enough to cover what it was paying to shareholders. This situation certainly isn't ideal, and could place significant strain on the balance sheet if it continues.

The next 12 months is set to see EPS grow by 23.4%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could reach 173%, which probably can't continue without putting some pressure on the balance sheet.

Dividend Volatility

The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from SEK4.25 total annually to SEK6.75. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.7% a year over that time. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.

Clas Ohlson May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. It's not great to see that Clas Ohlson's earnings per share has fallen at approximately 4.6% per year over the past five years. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.

Clas Ohlson's Dividend Doesn't Look Great

In conclusion, we have some concerns about this dividend, even though it being raised is good. The company isn't making enough to be paying as much as it is, and the other factors don't look particularly promising either. The dividend doesn't inspire confidence that it will provide solid income in the future.

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 picked out 1 warning sign for Clas Ohlson that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Clas Ohlson not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.