Topdanmark A/S (CPH:TOP) Passed Our Checks, And It's About To Pay A ø8.50 Dividend
Topdanmark A/S (CPH:TOP) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. This means that investors who purchase shares on or after the 3rd of April will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 7th of April.
Topdanmark's next dividend payment will be ø8.50 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed ø8.50 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Topdanmark stock has a trailing yield of around 3.3% on the current share price of DKK261.4. 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.
See our latest analysis for Topdanmark
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. That's why it's good to see Topdanmark paying out a modest 48% of its earnings.
When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn.
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. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Topdanmark, with earnings per share up 4.3% on average over the last five years.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Topdanmark's dividend payments per share have declined at 33% per year on average over the past two years, which is uninspiring. It's unusual to see earnings per share increasing at the same time as dividends per share have been in decline. We'd hope it's because the company is reinvesting heavily in its business, but it could also suggest business is lumpy.
The Bottom Line
Is Topdanmark worth buying for its dividend? It has been growing its earnings per share somewhat in recent years, although it reinvests more than half its earnings in the business, which could suggest there are some growth projects that have not yet reached fruition. Topdanmark ticks a lot of boxes for us from a dividend perspective, and we think these characteristics should mark the company as deserving of further attention.
In light of that, while Topdanmark has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Topdanmark 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.
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.
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