Himax Technologies (NASDAQ:HIMX) Is Reducing Its Dividend To $0.47
Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:HIMX) has announced that on 12th of July, it will be paying a dividend of$0.47, which a reduction from last year's comparable dividend. The yield is still above the industry average at 7.1%.
Check out our latest analysis for Himax Technologies
Himax Technologies' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Before making this announcement, Himax Technologies was paying a whopping 127% as a dividend, but this only made up 35% of its overall earnings. The business might be trying to strike a balance between returning cash to shareholders and reinvesting back into the business, but this high of a payout ratio could definitely force the dividend to be cut if the company runs into a bit of a tough spot.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 16.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 63% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from $0.126 total annually to $0.48. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 14% a year over that time. Dividends have grown rapidly over this time, but with cuts in the past we are not certain that this stock will be a reliable source of income in the future.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. We are encouraged to see that Himax Technologies has grown earnings per share at 41% per year over the past five years. Earnings per share is growing at a solid clip, and the payout ratio is low which we think is an ideal combination in a dividend stock as the company can quite easily raise the dividend in the future.
Our Thoughts On Himax Technologies' Dividend
Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. While Himax Technologies is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We don't think Himax Technologies is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Himax Technologies 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.
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.
Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
