Is It Smart To Buy Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (HKG:175) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (HKG:175) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. You can purchase shares before the 28th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 1st of January.
The upcoming dividend for Geely Automobile Holdings is HK$0.25 per share, increased from last year's total dividends per share of HK$0.23. 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! As a result, readers should always check whether Geely Automobile Holdings has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
View our latest analysis for Geely Automobile Holdings
Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Geely Automobile Holdings has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 25% of its income after tax. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. It paid out more than half (55%) of its free cash flow in the past year, which is within an average range for most companies.
It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
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. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. That's why it's comforting to see Geely Automobile Holdings's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 41% per annum for the past five years.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, ten years ago, Geely Automobile Holdings has lifted its dividend by approximately 27% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.
To Sum It Up
Has Geely Automobile Holdings got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? From a dividend perspective, we're encouraged to see that earnings per share have been growing, the company is paying out less than half of its earnings, and a bit over half its free cash flow. There's a lot to like about Geely Automobile Holdings, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.
While it's tempting to invest in Geely Automobile Holdings for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Geely Automobile Holdings that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.
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.
Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. 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. Thank you for reading.
