Oceania Healthcare (NZSE:OCA) Has Announced That Its Dividend Will Be Reduced To NZ$0.019

Simply Wall St
·3 min read

Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZSE:OCA) has announced it will be reducing its dividend payable on the 14th of December to NZ$0.019, which is 9.5% lower than what investors received last year for the same period. The yield is still above the industry average at 5.6%.

Check out our latest analysis for Oceania Healthcare

Oceania Healthcare's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. Before making this announcement, Oceania Healthcare was paying out a fairly large proportion of earnings, and it wasn't generating positive free cash flows either. Generally, we think that this would be a risky long term practice.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 137.5%. Assuming the dividend continues along the course it has been charting recently, our estimates show the payout ratio being 37% which brings it into quite a comfortable range.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Oceania Healthcare's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

It's comforting to see that Oceania Healthcare has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. If the company cuts once, it definitely isn't argument against the possibility of it cutting in the future. Since 2017, the annual payment back then was NZ$0.042, compared to the most recent full-year payment of NZ$0.044. Dividend payments have been growing, but very slowly over the period. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Over the past five years, it looks as though Oceania Healthcare's EPS has declined at around 17% a year. Such rapid declines definitely have the potential to constrain dividend payments if the trend continues into the future. On the bright side, earnings are predicted to gain some ground over the next year, but until this turns into a pattern we wouldn't be feeling too comfortable.

Oceania Healthcare'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. The track record isn't great, and the payments are a bit high to be considered sustainable. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Just as an example, we've come across 4 warning signs for Oceania Healthcare you should be aware of, and 1 of them is significant. Is Oceania Healthcare not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

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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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