Yahoo Finance Mayfield Childcare (ASX:MFD) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year
Mayfield Childcare Limited (ASX:MFD) has announced that it will be increasing its periodic dividend on the 23rd of September to A$0.0276, which will be 12% higher than last year's comparable payment amount of A$0.0247. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 3.3%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.
View our latest analysis for Mayfield Childcare
Mayfield Childcare's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, Mayfield Childcare was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 44.4% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 47%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Mayfield Childcare's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
Even in its relatively short history, the company has reduced the dividend at least once. This suggests that the dividend might not be the most reliable. The dividend has gone from an annual total of A$0.0765 in 2017 to the most recent total annual payment of A$0.04. Dividend payments have fallen sharply, down 48% over that time. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.
Dividend Growth Is Doubtful
Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. Over the past five years, it looks as though Mayfield Childcare's EPS has declined at around 8.5% a year. If earnings continue declining, the company may have to make the difficult choice of reducing the dividend or even stopping it completely - the opposite of dividend growth. Earnings are forecast to grow over the next 12 months and if that happens we could still be a little bit cautious until it becomes a pattern.
An additional note is that the company has been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 99% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.
Our Thoughts On Mayfield Childcare's Dividend
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Mayfield Childcare will make a great income stock. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. 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 Mayfield Childcare (1 is significant!) that you should be aware of before investing. 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.
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