Here's What We Like About Citrix Systems' (NASDAQ:CTXS) Upcoming Dividend
Readers hoping to buy Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 7th of December will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 22nd of December.
Citrix Systems's upcoming dividend is US$0.35 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$1.40 per share to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Citrix Systems has a trailing yield of approximately 1.1% on its current stock price of $125.59. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Citrix Systems's dividend is reliable and sustainable. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.
See our latest analysis for Citrix Systems
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. That's why it's good to see Citrix Systems paying out a modest 29% of its earnings. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Citrix Systems generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. It paid out 18% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.
It's positive to see that Citrix Systems's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. That's why it's comforting to see Citrix Systems's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 26% per annum for the past five years. Citrix Systems is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. This is a very favourable combination that can often lead to the dividend multiplying over the long term, if earnings grow and the company pays out a higher percentage of its earnings.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Citrix Systems's dividend payments are effectively flat on where they were two years ago.
To Sum It Up
Should investors buy Citrix Systems for the upcoming dividend? We love that Citrix Systems is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research.
While it's tempting to invest in Citrix Systems for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Citrix Systems that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.
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. 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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