Yahoo Finance Why You Might Be Interested In B&M European Value Retail S.A. (LON:BME) For Its Upcoming Dividend
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (LON:BME) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 2 days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Therefore, if you purchase B&M European Value Retail's shares on or after the 1st of July, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 6th of August.
The company's next dividend payment will be UK£0.13 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed UK£0.17 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, B&M European Value Retail stock has a trailing yield of around 3.1% on the current share price of £5.604. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether B&M European Value Retail can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.
Check out our latest analysis for B&M European Value Retail
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. That's why it's good to see B&M European Value Retail paying out a modest 40% of its earnings. 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. Luckily it paid out just 13% of its free cash flow last year.
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 decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. That's why it's comforting to see B&M European Value Retail's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 28% per annum for the past five years. B&M European Value Retail is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. Companies with growing earnings and low payout ratios are often the best long-term dividend stocks, as the company can both grow its earnings and increase the percentage of earnings that it pays out, essentially multiplying the dividend.
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, seven years ago, B&M European Value Retail has lifted its dividend by approximately 38% a year on average. Both per-share earnings and dividends have both been growing rapidly in recent times, which is great to see.
The Bottom Line
Is B&M European Value Retail worth buying for its dividend? We love that B&M European Value Retail 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. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research.
On that note, you'll want to research what risks B&M European Value Retail is facing. We've identified 3 warning signs with B&M European Value Retail (at least 1 which is a bit unpleasant), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
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.
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