Yahoo Finance Only Four Days Left To Cash In On Scorpio Tankers' (NYSE:STNG) Dividend
Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE:STNG) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Scorpio Tankers' shares before the 2nd of December to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 15th of December.
The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.10 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.40 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Scorpio Tankers has a trailing yield of 2.8% on the current share price of $14.41. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.
Check out our latest analysis for Scorpio Tankers
Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Scorpio Tankers reported a loss last year, so it's not great to see that it has continued paying a dividend. With the recent loss, it's important to check if the business generated enough cash to pay its dividend. If Scorpio Tankers didn't generate enough cash to pay the dividend, then it must have either paid from cash in the bank or by borrowing money, neither of which is sustainable in the long term. Over the last year it paid out 59% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.
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. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Scorpio Tankers was unprofitable last year, but at least the general trend suggests its earnings have been improving over the past five years. Even so, an unprofitable company whose business does not quickly recover is usually not a good candidate for dividend investors.
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Scorpio Tankers has seen its dividend decline 9.7% per annum on average over the past nine years, which is not great to see.
Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Scorpio Tankers's financial health, by checking our visualisation of its financial health, here.
Final Takeaway
Is Scorpio Tankers worth buying for its dividend? It's hard to get used to Scorpio Tankers paying a dividend despite reporting a loss over the past year. At least the dividend was covered by free cash flow, however. Overall, it's not a bad combination, but we feel that there are likely more attractive dividend prospects out there.
So if you want to do more digging on Scorpio Tankers, you'll find it worthwhile knowing the risks that this stock faces. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Scorpio Tankers and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising 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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