Only Three Days Left To Cash In On Berner Kantonalbank's (VTX:BEKN) 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 Berner Kantonalbank AG (VTX:BEKN) is about to go ex-dividend in just three days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. 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 Berner Kantonalbank's shares before the 19th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 23rd of May.

The company's next dividend payment will be CHF9.20 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed CHF9.20 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Berner Kantonalbank has a trailing yield of approximately 4.1% on its current stock price of CHF223. 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! So we need to investigate whether Berner Kantonalbank can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for Berner Kantonalbank

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. Berner Kantonalbank paid out more than half (55%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies.

Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.

Click here to see how much of its profit Berner Kantonalbank paid out over the last 12 months.

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. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Berner Kantonalbank, with earnings per share up 3.9% on average over the last five years.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Berner Kantonalbank has delivered 5.7% dividend growth per year on average over the past 10 years. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.

The Bottom Line

Has Berner Kantonalbank got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Berner Kantonalbank has been generating some growth in earnings per share while paying out more than half of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. We're unconvinced on the company's merits, and think there might be better opportunities out there.

Want to learn more about Berner Kantonalbank? Here's a visualisation of its historical rate of revenue and earnings growth.

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.