Yahoo Finance Why You Might Be Interested In Deswell Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:DSWL) For Its Upcoming Dividend
Deswell Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:DSWL) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 3 days. You can purchase shares before the 26th of November in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 13th of December.
Deswell Industries's next dividend payment will be US$0.08 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$0.16 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Deswell Industries has a trailing yield of 6.3% on the current share price of $2.5272. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether Deswell Industries can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.
See our latest analysis for Deswell Industries
Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Its dividend payout ratio is 86% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth We'd be worried about the risk of a drop in earnings. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Fortunately, it paid out only 46% of its free cash flow in the past year.
It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.
Click here to see how much of its profit Deswell Industries paid out over the last 12 months.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That's why it's comforting to see Deswell Industries's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 63% per annum for the past five years. Earnings per share are growing at a rapid rate, yet the company is paying out more than three-quarters of its earnings.
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. It looks like the Deswell Industries dividends are largely the same as they were ten years ago.
To Sum It Up
Should investors buy Deswell Industries for the upcoming dividend? We like Deswell Industries's growing earnings per share and the fact that - while its payout ratio is around average - it paid out a lower percentage of its cash flow. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.
Curious about whether Deswell Industries has been able to consistently generate growth? Here's a chart of its historical revenue and earnings growth.
We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
