Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you’re one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn’t show on the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Lear’s shares before the 9th of March to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 29th of March.
The company’s next dividend payment will be US$0.77 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$3.08 to shareholders. Based on the last year’s worth of payments, Lear has a trailing yield of 2.2% on the current stock price of $142.65. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it’s growing.
Check out our latest analysis for Lear
Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Lear paid out more than half (56%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Lear generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 48% of its free cash flow in the past year.
It’s positive to see that Lear’s dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.
Click here to see the company’s payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Lear’s earnings per share have fallen at approximately 22% a year over the previous five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.
Another key way to measure a company’s dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the past 10 years, Lear has increased its dividend at approximately 19% a year on average. Growing the dividend payout ratio while earnings are declining can deliver nice returns for a while, but it’s always worth checking for when the company can’t increase the payout ratio any more – because then the music stops.
The Bottom Line
Is Lear an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? The payout ratios are within a reasonable range, implying the dividend may be sustainable. Declining earnings are a serious concern, however, and could pose a threat to the dividend in future. Overall, it’s not a bad combination, but we feel that there are likely more attractive dividend prospects out there.
If you’re not too concerned about Lear’s ability to pay dividends, you should still be mindful of some of the other risks that this business faces. For example, we’ve found 3 warning signs for Lear that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.
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.
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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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