Matson (NYSE:MATX) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To US$0.31

Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) will increase its dividend on the 1st of September to US$0.31. Despite this raise, the dividend yield of 1.7% is only a modest boost to shareholder returns.

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. Matson's stock price has reduced by 40% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.

Check out our latest analysis for Matson

Matson's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Before making this announcement, Matson was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

EPS is set to fall by 12.2% over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, we estimate the payout ratio could be 5.0%, which is comfortable for the company to continue in the future.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from US$1.26 to US$1.24. The dividend has shrunk at a rate of less than 1% a year over this 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 Looks Likely To Grow

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Matson has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 78% per annum. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.

Matson Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The earnings easily cover the company's distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. If earnings do fall over the next 12 months, the dividend could be buffeted a little bit, but we don't think it should cause too much of a problem in the long term. 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. To that end, Matson has 3 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about. 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.