Yahoo Finance Sandon Capital Investments (ASX:SNC) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To AU$0.028
Sandon Capital Investments Limited's (ASX:SNC) dividend will be increasing on the 1st of June to AU$0.028, with investors receiving 10.0% more than last year. This makes the dividend yield 7.2%, which is above the industry average.
See our latest analysis for Sandon Capital Investments
Sandon Capital Investments' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, Sandon Capital Investments' earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. 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. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 34%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
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 suggests that the dividend might not be the most reliable. The dividend has gone from AU$0.04 in 2015 to the most recent annual payment of AU$0.055. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 4.7% over that duration. 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
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Sandon Capital Investments has impressed us by growing EPS at 14% per 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.
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 Sandon Capital Investments is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We don't think Sandon Capital Investments is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. 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.
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.