Yahoo Finance Sandon Capital Investments' (ASX:SNC) Dividend Will Be Increased To AU$0.028
The board of Sandon Capital Investments Limited (ASX:SNC) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend by 10.0% on the 1st of June to AU$0.028. This will take the dividend yield from 6.0% to 7.1%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.
Check out our latest analysis for Sandon Capital Investments
Sandon Capital Investments' Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Sandon Capital Investments is quite easily earning enough to cover the dividend, however it is being let down by weak cash flows. With the company not bringing in any cash, paying out to shareholders is bound to become difficult at some point.
Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 13.8% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 34% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
Sandon Capital Investments' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency
It's comforting to see that Sandon Capital Investments has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. This makes us cautious about the consistency of the dividend over a full economic cycle. Since 2015, the first annual payment was AU$0.04, compared to the most recent full-year payment of AU$0.055. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 4.7% per annum over that time. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. We are encouraged to see that Sandon Capital Investments has grown earnings per share at 14% per year over the past five years. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for Sandon Capital Investments' prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.
We'd also point out that Sandon Capital Investments has issued stock equal to 22% of shares outstanding. 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 Sandon Capital Investments' Dividend
Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. 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.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For instance, we've picked out 3 warning signs for Sandon Capital Investments that investors should take into consideration. 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.
