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We Wouldn't Be Too Quick To Buy Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend

Readers hoping to buy Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order 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, Carpenter Technology investors that purchase the stock on or after the 25th of October will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 2nd of December.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.20 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.80 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Carpenter Technology stock has a trailing yield of around 2.4% on the current share price of $33.09. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Carpenter Technology's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

See our latest analysis for Carpenter Technology

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Carpenter Technology reported a loss last year, so it's not great to see that it has continued paying a dividend. Given that the company reported a loss last year, we now need to see if it generated enough free cash flow to fund the dividend. If Carpenter Technology 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. It distributed 26% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

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Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

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Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Carpenter Technology reported a loss last year, and the general trend suggests its earnings have also been declining in recent years, making us wonder if the dividend is at risk.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Carpenter Technology has delivered an average of 1.1% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments.

We update our analysis on Carpenter Technology every 24 hours, so you can always get the latest insights on its financial health, here.

The Bottom Line

Is Carpenter Technology an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? First, it's not great to see the company paying a dividend despite being loss-making over the last year. On the plus side, the dividend was covered by free cash flow." It's not the most attractive proposition from a dividend perspective, and we'd probably give this one a miss for now.

Having said that, if you're looking at this stock without much concern for the dividend, you should still be familiar of the risks involved with Carpenter Technology. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Carpenter Technology and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.