Kato WorksLtd's (TSE:6390) Dividend Will Be ¥35.00
The board of Kato Works Co.,Ltd. (TSE:6390) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 30th of June, with investors receiving ¥35.00 per share. The dividend yield will be 5.6% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.
Kato WorksLtd's Distributions May Be Difficult To Sustain
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Despite not generating a profit, Kato WorksLtd is still paying a dividend. The company is also yet to generate cash flow, so the dividend sustainability is definitely questionable.
Over the next year, EPS could expand by 18.7% if recent trends continue. While it is good to see income moving in the right direction, it still looks like the company won't achieve profitability. Unless this can be done in short order, the dividend might be difficult to sustain.
View our latest analysis for Kato WorksLtd
Dividend Volatility
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2015, the annual payment back then was ¥75.00, compared to the most recent full-year payment of ¥70.00. Dividend payments have shrunk at a rate of less than 1% per annum over this time frame. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.
The Company Could Face Some Challenges Growing The Dividend
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Kato WorksLtd has impressed us by growing EPS at 19% per year over the past five years. Even though the company isn't making a profit, strong earnings growth could turn that around in the near future. Assuming the company can post positive net income numbers soon, it could has the potential to be a decent dividend payer.
The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable
Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. Strong earnings growth means Kato WorksLtd has the potential to be a good dividend stock in the future, despite the current payments being at elevated levels. 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. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Kato WorksLtd you should be aware of, and 2 of them are a bit concerning. Is Kato WorksLtd not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
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