Interested In Zimplats Holdings Limited (ASX:ZIM)’s Upcoming 3.8% Dividend? You Have 4 Days Left
Zimplats Holdings Limited (ASX:ZIM) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 days time. If you purchase the stock on or after the 11th of September, you won't be eligible to receive this dividend, when it is paid on the 26th of September.
The upcoming dividend for Zimplats Holdings will put a total of US$0.42 per share in shareholders' pockets, up from last year's total dividends of US$0.37. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
View our latest analysis for Zimplats Holdings
Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Zimplats Holdings paid out more than half (58%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Zimplats Holdings generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Over the past year it paid out 114% of its free cash flow as dividends, which is uncomfortably high. We're curious about why the company paid out more cash than it generated last year, since this can be one of the early signs that a dividend may be unsustainable.
Zimplats Holdings paid out less in dividends than it reported in profits, but unfortunately it didn't generate enough cash to cover the dividend. Were this to happen repeatedly, this would be a risk to Zimplats Holdings's ability to maintain its dividend.
Click here to see how much of its profit Zimplats Holdings paid out over the last 12 months.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Zimplats Holdings earnings per share are up 8.4% per annum over the last five years. Earnings have been growing at a steady rate, but we're concerned dividend payments consumed most of the company's cash flow over the past year.
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 4 years, Zimplats Holdings has lifted its dividend by approximately 32% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.
To Sum It Up
Has Zimplats Holdings got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share have grown somewhat, although Zimplats Holdings paid out over half its profits and the dividend was not well covered by free cash flow. Overall it doesn't look like the most suitable dividend stock for a long-term buy and hold investor.
Keen to explore more data on Zimplats Holdings's financial performance? Check out our visualisation of its historical revenue and earnings growth.
We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
