Yahoo Finance Don't Buy Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) For Its Next Dividend Without Doing These Checks
Readers hoping to buy Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. In other words, investors can purchase Prudential Financial's shares before the 22nd of May in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 15th of June.
The company's upcoming dividend is US$1.25 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$5.00 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Prudential Financial has a trailing yield of 6.4% on the current share price of $78.04. 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 check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
View our latest analysis for Prudential Financial
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. An unusually high payout ratio of 373% of its profit suggests something is happening other than the usual distribution of profits to shareholders.
When a company pays out a dividend that is not well covered by profits, the dividend is generally seen as more vulnerable to being cut.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Prudential Financial's earnings per share have plummeted approximately 41% a year over the previous five years.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Prudential Financial has lifted its dividend by approximately 12% a year on average. That's intriguing, but the combination of growing dividends despite declining earnings can typically only be achieved by paying out a larger percentage of profits. Prudential Financial is already paying out 373% of its profits, and with shrinking earnings we think it's unlikely that this dividend will grow quickly in the future.
To Sum It Up
Has Prudential Financial got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share are in decline and Prudential Financial is paying out what we feel is an uncomfortably high percentage of its profit as dividends. Generally we think dividend investors should avoid businesses in this situation, as high payout ratios and declining earnings can lead to the dividend being cut. All things considered, we're not optimistic about its dividend prospects, and would be inclined to leave it on the shelf for now.
With that in mind though, if the poor dividend characteristics of Prudential Financial don't faze you, it's worth being mindful of the risks involved with this business. For example - Prudential Financial has 4 warning signs we think you should be aware of.
A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks.
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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