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Is It Smart To Buy Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?

Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 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 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. Therefore, if you purchase Skyworks Solutions' shares on or after the 23rd of May, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 14th of June.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.56 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$2.24 per share to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Skyworks Solutions has a trailing yield of approximately 2.1% on its current stock price of $106.85. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Skyworks Solutions's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Skyworks Solutions

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. Fortunately Skyworks Solutions's payout ratio is modest, at just 26% of profit. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 35% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio.

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It's positive to see that Skyworks Solutions's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

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historic-dividend

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 decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Fortunately for readers, Skyworks Solutions's earnings per share have been growing at 10% a year for the past five years. The company has managed to grow earnings at a rapid rate, while reinvesting most of the profits within the business. This will make it easier to fund future growth efforts and we think this is an attractive combination - plus the dividend can always be increased later.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Since the start of our data, eight years ago, Skyworks Solutions has lifted its dividend by approximately 23% a year on average. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it.

The Bottom Line

Is Skyworks Solutions an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We love that Skyworks Solutions is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

While it's tempting to invest in Skyworks Solutions for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Skyworks Solutions 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.

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.