Parkland Corporation (TSE:PKI) Stock Goes Ex-Dividend In Just Two Days

Parkland Corporation (TSE:PKI) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next two days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a 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. Thus, you can purchase Parkland's shares before the 21st of March in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 14th of April.

The company's upcoming dividend is CA$0.11 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of CA$1.23 per share to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Parkland has a trailing yield of approximately 3.8% on its current stock price of CA$32.82. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Parkland's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

View our latest analysis for Parkland

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. Parkland distributed an unsustainably high 192% of its profit as dividends to shareholders last year. Without more sustainable payment behaviour, the dividend looks precarious. 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 distributed 26% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

It's good to see that while Parkland's dividends were not covered by profits, at least they are affordable from a cash perspective. Still, if the company repeatedly paid a dividend greater than its profits, we'd be concerned. Very few companies are able to sustainably pay dividends larger than their reported earnings.

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

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Parkland earnings per share are up 4.8% per annum over the last five years.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, Parkland has lifted its dividend by approximately 1.9% a year on average.

Final Takeaway

Should investors buy Parkland for the upcoming dividend? Parkland has been steadily growing its earnings per share, and it is paying out just 26% of its cash flow but an uncomfortably high 192% of its income. In summary, it's hard to get excited about Parkland from a dividend perspective.

If you want to look further into Parkland, it's worth knowing the risks this business faces. For example, Parkland has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

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

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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.