Yahoo Finance Be Sure To Check Out Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend
Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 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 of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Accordingly, Domino's Pizza investors that purchase the stock on or after the 14th of September will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 29th of September.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$1.21 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$4.84 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Domino's Pizza has a trailing yield of 1.2% on the current stock price of $387.37. 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
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Fortunately Domino's Pizza's payout ratio is modest, at just 35% of profit. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Domino's Pizza generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 34% of its free cash flow in the past year.
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?
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. For this reason, we're glad to see Domino's Pizza's earnings per share have risen 17% per annum over the last five years. The company has managed to grow earnings at a rapid rate, while reinvesting most of the profits within the business. Fast-growing businesses that are reinvesting heavily are enticing from a dividend perspective, especially since they can often increase the payout ratio later.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Domino's Pizza has lifted its dividend by approximately 20% 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.
Final Takeaway
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. There's a lot to like about Domino's Pizza, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.
On that note, you'll want to research what risks Domino's Pizza is facing. For example, Domino's Pizza has 3 warning signs (and 2 which make us uncomfortable) we think you should know about.
If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top 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.
