Should You Buy Telekom Austria AG (VIE:TKA) For Its Upcoming Dividend?

Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Telekom Austria AG (VIE:TKA) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 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 as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Thus, you can purchase Telekom Austria's shares before the 1st of July in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 5th of July.

The company's upcoming dividend is €0.28 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of €0.28 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Telekom Austria has a trailing yield of 4.3% on the current stock price of €6.46. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Telekom Austria's dividend is reliable and sustainable. As a result, readers should always check whether Telekom Austria has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

View our latest analysis for Telekom Austria

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. That's why it's good to see Telekom Austria paying out a modest 39% 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. It paid out 22% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.

It's positive to see that Telekom Austria'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.

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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Telekom Austria, with earnings per share up 4.2% on average over the last five years. Earnings per share growth in recent times has not been a standout. However, companies that see their growth slow can often choose to pay out a greater percentage of earnings to shareholders, which could see the dividend continue to rise.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Telekom Austria's dividend payments per share have declined at 9.5% per year on average over the past 10 years, which is uninspiring. Telekom Austria is a rare case where dividends have been decreasing at the same time as earnings per share have been improving. It's unusual to see, and could point to unstable conditions in the core business, or more rarely an intensified focus on reinvesting profits.

To Sum It Up

Is Telekom Austria an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share have been growing moderately, and Telekom Austria is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends, which is an attractive combination as it suggests the company is investing in growth. It might be nice to see earnings growing faster, but Telekom Austria is being conservative with its dividend payouts and could still perform reasonably over the long run. There's a lot to like about Telekom Austria, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Telekom Austria and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top 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.