Yahoo Finance Do These 3 Checks Before Buying Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) For Its Upcoming Dividend
Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next three days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Accordingly, Blackstone investors that purchase the stock on or after the 3rd of February will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 13th of February.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.91 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$4.40 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Blackstone stock has a trailing yield of around 4.6% on the current share price of $95.86. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
View our latest analysis for Blackstone
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Blackstone paid out 186% of profit in the past year, which we think is typically not sustainable unless there are mitigating characteristics such as unusually strong cash flow or a large cash balance.
When the dividend payout ratio is high, as it is in this case, the dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut in the future.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Blackstone earnings per share are up 2.2% per annum over the last five years.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Blackstone has delivered 24% dividend growth per year on average over the past 10 years. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.
To Sum It Up
Has Blackstone got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? While we like that its earnings are growing somewhat, we're not enamored that it's paying out 186% of last year's earnings. This is not an overtly appealing combination of characteristics, and we're just not that interested in this company's dividend.
Although, if you're still interested in Blackstone and want to know more, you'll find it very useful to know what risks this stock faces. For example, Blackstone has 3 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.
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.
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.
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