Yahoo Finance Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) Passed Our Checks, And It's About To Pay A US$0.94 Dividend
Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next three 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 as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Thus, you can purchase Domino's Pizza's shares before the 14th of September in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 30th of September.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.94 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$3.76 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Domino's Pizza has a trailing yield of 0.7% on the current share price of $516.12. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether Domino's Pizza can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.
Check out our latest analysis for Domino's Pizza
Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Fortunately Domino's Pizza's payout ratio is modest, at just 27% of profit. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. It paid out 22% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.
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.
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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. It's encouraging to see Domino's Pizza has grown its earnings rapidly, up 29% a year for the past five years. Domino's Pizza is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. Companies with growing earnings and low payout ratios are often the best long-term dividend stocks, as the company can both grow its earnings and increase the percentage of earnings that it pays out, essentially multiplying the dividend.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the past nine years, Domino's Pizza has increased its dividend at approximately 19% 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.
To Sum It Up
Should investors buy Domino's Pizza for the upcoming dividend? Domino's Pizza has been growing earnings at a rapid rate, and has a conservatively low payout ratio, implying that it is reinvesting heavily in its business; a sterling combination. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.
In light of that, while Domino's Pizza has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. For example, we've found 3 warning signs for Domino's Pizza (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before investing in the shares.
If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top 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.
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