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Should You Buy Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ) For Its Upcoming Dividend?

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 Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a 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, Canadian Natural Resources investors that purchase the stock on or after the 16th of September will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 5th of October.

The company's next dividend payment will be CA$0.47 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CA$1.88 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Canadian Natural Resources has a trailing yield of 4.4% on the current stock price of CA$42.56. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

See our latest analysis for Canadian Natural Resources

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Canadian Natural Resources paid out more than half (52%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Canadian Natural Resources generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 38% of its free cash flow in the past year.

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It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. For this reason, we're glad to see Canadian Natural Resources's earnings per share have risen 18% per annum over the last five years. Canadian Natural Resources has an average payout ratio which suggests a balance between growing earnings and rewarding shareholders. Given the quick rate of earnings per share growth and current level of payout, there may be a chance of further dividend increases in the future.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Canadian Natural Resources has lifted its dividend by approximately 20% a year on average. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it.

Final Takeaway

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Canadian Natural Resources? We like Canadian Natural Resources's growing earnings per share and the fact that - while its payout ratio is around average - it paid out a lower percentage of its cash flow. Canadian Natural Resources looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

In light of that, while Canadian Natural Resources has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Canadian Natural Resources (including 1 which doesn't sit too well with us).

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.