Putprop (JSE:PPR) Is Increasing Its Dividend To ZAR0.07

The board of Putprop Limited (JSE:PPR) has announced that the dividend on 30th of October will be increased to ZAR0.07, which will be 17% higher than last year's payment of ZAR0.06 which covered the same period. Even though the dividend went up, the yield is still quite low at only 2.9%.

View our latest analysis for Putprop

Putprop's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

The dividend yield is a little bit low, but sustainability of the payments is also an important part of evaluating an income stock. Putprop is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. 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.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 11.0% over the next 12 months. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 33% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of ZAR0.36 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of ZAR0.103. The dividend has fallen 72% over 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 Looks Likely To Grow

With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS is growing. It's encouraging to see that Putprop has been growing its earnings per share at 11% a 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.

In Summary

In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Putprop's payments are rock solid. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think Putprop is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Putprop has 4 warning signs (and 2 which are concerning) we think you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.