Water Oasis Group Limited's (HKG:1161) investors are due to receive a payment of HK$0.025 per share on 2nd of March. The payment will take the dividend yield to 6.4%, which is in line with the average for the industry.
We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. Based on the last payment, Water Oasis Group was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that quite a large proportion of earnings is being invested back into the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 24.0% 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 42%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
View our latest analysis for Water Oasis Group
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2016, the dividend has gone from HK$0.065 total annually to HK$0.06. 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.
Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Water Oasis Group has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 24% per annum. Water Oasis Group is clearly able to grow rapidly while still returning cash to shareholders, positioning it to become a strong dividend payer in the future.
In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 3 warning signs for Water Oasis Group that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. Is Water Oasis Group not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
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