The board of Plato Income Maximiser Limited (ASX:PL8) has announced that it will pay a dividend of A$0.0055 per share on the 31st of March. The dividend yield will be 5.2% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

View our latest analysis for Plato Income Maximiser

Plato Income Maximiser's Payment Could Potentially Have Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Plato Income Maximiser's dividend was making up a very large proportion of earnings and perhaps more concerning was that it was 119% of cash flows. Paying out such a high proportion of cash flows can expose the business to needing to cut the dividend if the business runs into some challenges.

EPS is set to grow by 1.2% over the next year if recent trends continue. If recent patterns in the dividend continue, the payout ratio in 12 months could be 77% which is a bit high but can definitely be sustainable.

Plato Income Maximiser's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Even in its relatively short history, the company has reduced the dividend at least once. This suggests that the dividend might not be the most reliable. The dividend has gone from an annual total of A$0.054 in 2018 to the most recent total annual payment of A$0.066. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 2.9% a year over that time. Modest growth in the dividend is good to see, but we think this is offset by historical cuts to the payments. It is hard to live on a dividend income if the company's earnings are not consistent.

The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited

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. Although it's important to note that Plato Income Maximiser's earnings per share has basically not grown from where it was five years ago, which could erode the purchasing power of the dividend over time. Earnings are not growing quickly at all, and the company is paying out most of its profit as dividends. This isn't the end of the world, but for investors looking for strong dividend growth they may want to look elsewhere.

Our Thoughts On Plato Income Maximiser's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Plato Income Maximiser's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. While the low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. To that end, Plato Income Maximiser has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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