Yahoo Finance V.S. Industry Berhad (KLSE:VS) Is Paying Out Less In Dividends Than Last Year
V.S. Industry Berhad's (KLSE:VS) dividend is being reduced by 20% to MYR0.004 per share on 3rd of February, in comparison to last year's comparable payment of MYR0.005. This means that the dividend yield is 2.1%, which is a bit low when comparing to other companies in the industry.
See our latest analysis for V.S. Industry Berhad
V.S. Industry Berhad's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
The dividend yield is a little bit low, but sustainability of the payments is also an important part of evaluating an income stock. Before making this announcement, V.S. Industry Berhad was earning enough to cover the dividend, but it wasn't generating any free cash flows. No cash flows could definitely make returning cash to shareholders difficult, or at least mean the balance sheet will come under pressure.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 89.7%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 24% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. Since 2012, the dividend has gone from MYR0.012 total annually to MYR0.02. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 5.2% over that duration. It's good to see the dividend growing at a decent rate, but the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. V.S. Industry Berhad might have put its house in order since then, but we remain cautious.
The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited
Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. V.S. Industry Berhad has seen earnings per share falling at 3.4% per year over the last five years. A modest decline in earnings isn't great, and it makes it quite unlikely that the dividend will grow in the future unless that trend can be reversed. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.
V.S. Industry Berhad's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable
In summary, dividends being cut isn't ideal, however it can bring the payment into a more sustainable range. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think V.S. Industry Berhad is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for V.S. Industry Berhad that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. 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.
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