Yahoo Finance Don't Race Out To Buy Thomson Reuters Corporation (TSE:TRI) Just Because It's Going Ex-Dividend
Readers hoping to buy Thomson Reuters Corporation (TSE:TRI) 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. Therefore, if you purchase Thomson Reuters' shares on or after the 17th of August, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 15th of September.
The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.45 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$1.78 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Thomson Reuters has a trailing yield of 1.5% on the current stock price of CA$148.81. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Thomson Reuters's dividend is reliable and sustainable. As a result, readers should always check whether Thomson Reuters has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
See our latest analysis for Thomson Reuters
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. Thomson Reuters paid out 158% 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. 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 more than half (75%) of its free cash flow in the past year, which is within an average range for most companies.
It's disappointing to see that the dividend was not covered by profits, but cash is more important from a dividend sustainability perspective, and Thomson Reuters fortunately did generate enough cash to fund its dividend. If executives were to continue paying more in dividends than the company reported in profits, we'd view this as a warning sign. Very few companies are able to sustainably pay dividends larger than their reported earnings.
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. Thomson Reuters's earnings per share have fallen at approximately 5.9% a year over the previous five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Thomson Reuters has lifted its dividend by approximately 2.7% a year on average. The only way to pay higher dividends when earnings are shrinking is either to pay out a larger percentage of profits, spend cash from the balance sheet, or borrow the money. Thomson Reuters is already paying out 158% of its profits, and with shrinking earnings we think it's unlikely that this dividend will grow quickly in the future.
Final Takeaway
Is Thomson Reuters an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share have been shrinking in recent times. Worse, Thomson Reuters's paying out a majority of its earnings and more than half its free cash flow. Positive cash flows are good news but it's not a good combination. It's not the most attractive proposition from a dividend perspective, and we'd probably give this one a miss for now.
Although, if you're still interested in Thomson Reuters and want to know more, you'll find it very useful to know what risks this stock faces. For example, we've found 3 warning signs for Thomson Reuters 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.
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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