A dividend is only as safe as the profits and balance sheet behind it. A low payout ratio leaves room to keep paying through a bad year, and low debt means lenders do not come first. This screen lists stocks on Asian exchanges yielding more than 3% with a payout ratio below 60%, positive earnings and a debt-to-equity ratio below 1, highest yield first. Prices are in each exchange's local currency, and the list covers stocks traded in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul and Jakarta with at least about US$0.7 million in average daily trading value.
