Yahoo Finance Is It Smart To Buy The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?
Readers hoping to buy The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. 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. This means that investors who purchase Goldman Sachs Group's shares on or after the 30th of November will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 29th of December.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$2.50 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$10.00 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Goldman Sachs Group has a trailing yield of 2.6% on the current share price of $386.25. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
See our latest analysis for Goldman Sachs Group
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Goldman Sachs Group has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 22% of its income after tax.
Companies that pay out less in dividends than they earn in profits generally have more sustainable dividends. The lower the payout ratio, the more wiggle room the business has before it could be forced to cut the dividend.
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. Fortunately for readers, Goldman Sachs Group's earnings per share have been growing at 18% a year for the past five years.
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, Goldman Sachs Group has lifted its dividend by approximately 22% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.
To Sum It Up
Has Goldman Sachs Group got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Companies like Goldman Sachs Group that are growing rapidly and paying out a low fraction of earnings, are usually reinvesting heavily in their business. This is one of the most attractive investment combinations under this analysis, as it can create substantial value for investors over the long run. Overall, Goldman Sachs Group looks like a promising dividend stock in this analysis, and we think it would be worth investigating further.
In light of that, while Goldman Sachs Group has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Goldman Sachs Group and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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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