Yahoo Finance Four Days Left Until Assurant, Inc. (NYSE:AIZ) Trades 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 Assurant, Inc. (NYSE:AIZ) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. 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 important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. In other words, investors can purchase Assurant's shares before the 25th of November in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 19th of December.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.70 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$2.80 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Assurant stock has a trailing yield of around 2.2% on the current share price of $124.95. 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 Assurant has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
See our latest analysis for Assurant
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. Fortunately Assurant's payout ratio is modest, at just 44% of profit.
Companies that pay out less in dividends than they earn in profits generally have more sustainable dividends. The lower the payout ratio, the more wiggle room the business has before it could be forced to cut the dividend.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Assurant's earnings per share have fallen at approximately 6.8% a year over the previous five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Assurant has delivered an average of 15% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments.
Final Takeaway
Has Assurant got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share have shrunk noticeably in recent years, although we like that the company has a low payout ratio. This could suggest a cut to the dividend may not be a major risk in the near future. We're unconvinced on the company's merits, and think there might be better opportunities out there.
If you're not too concerned about Assurant's ability to pay dividends, you should still be mindful of some of the other risks that this business faces. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for Assurant that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.
Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
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