NL Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NL) Is About To Go Ex-Dividend, And It Pays A 5.4% Yield

Readers hoping to buy NL Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NL) 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 an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Accordingly, NL Industries investors that purchase the stock on or after the 31st of August will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 19th of September.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.07 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.28 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, NL Industries stock has a trailing yield of around 5.4% on the current share price of $5.21. 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 investigate whether NL Industries can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for NL Industries

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. NL Industries reported a loss after tax last year, which means it's paying a dividend despite being unprofitable. While this might be a one-off event, this is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. With the recent loss, it's important to check if the business generated enough cash to pay its dividend. If cash earnings don't cover the dividend, the company would have to pay dividends out of cash in the bank, or by borrowing money, neither of which is long-term sustainable. It distributed 42% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

Click here to see how much of its profit NL Industries paid out over the last 12 months.

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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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. NL Industries reported a loss last year, but at least the general trend suggests its income has been improving over the past five years. Even so, an unprofitable company whose business does not quickly recover is usually not a good candidate for dividend investors.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. NL Industries has seen its dividend decline 5.6% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see.

Get our latest analysis on NL Industries's balance sheet health here.

To Sum It Up

Has NL Industries got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? 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." To summarise, NL Industries looks okay on this analysis, although it doesn't appear a stand-out opportunity.

While it's tempting to invest in NL Industries for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with NL Industries 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.

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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.