Yahoo Finance Don't Buy Hongkong Land Holdings Limited (SGX:H78) For Its Next Dividend Without Doing These Checks
Readers hoping to buy Hongkong Land Holdings Limited (SGX:H78) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. In other words, investors can purchase Hongkong Land Holdings' shares before the 16th of March in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 10th of May.
The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.16 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.22 per share to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Hongkong Land Holdings has a trailing yield of approximately 5.0% on its current stock price of $4.43. 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 check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
See our latest analysis for Hongkong Land Holdings
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. An unusually high payout ratio of 245% of its profit suggests something is happening other than the usual distribution of profits to shareholders. 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. Dividends consumed 66% of the company's free cash flow last year, which is within a normal range for most dividend-paying organisations.
It's good to see that while Hongkong Land Holdings's dividends were not covered by profits, at least they are affordable from a cash perspective. If executives were to continue paying more in dividends than the company reported in profits, we'd view this as a warning sign. Extraordinarily few companies are capable of persistently paying a dividend that is greater than their profits.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Hongkong Land Holdings's earnings per share have plummeted approximately 48% a year over the previous five years.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Hongkong Land Holdings has delivered an average of 3.2% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. That's intriguing, but the combination of growing dividends despite declining earnings can typically only be achieved by paying out a larger percentage of profits. Hongkong Land Holdings is already paying out 245% of its profits, and with shrinking earnings we think it's unlikely that this dividend will grow quickly in the future.
Final Takeaway
Should investors buy Hongkong Land Holdings for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share have been in decline, which is not encouraging. Worse, Hongkong Land Holdings's paying out a majority of its earnings and more than half its free cash flow. Positive cash flows are good news but it's not a good combination. It's not an attractive combination from a dividend perspective, and we're inclined to pass on this one for the time being.
With that being said, if you're still considering Hongkong Land Holdings as an investment, you'll find it beneficial to know what risks this stock is facing. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Hongkong Land Holdings you should be aware of.
Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are 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.
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