Is It Worth Considering Edenred SA (EPA:EDEN) For Its Upcoming 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 Edenred SA (EPA:EDEN) is about to go ex-dividend in just three days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 14th of May will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 9th of June.

Edenred's next dividend payment will be €0.75 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed €0.75 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Edenred has a trailing yield of approximately 1.6% on its current stock price of €46.98. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to investigate whether Edenred can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for Edenred

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. It paid out 77% of its earnings as dividends last year, which is not unreasonable, but limits reinvestment in the business and leaves the dividend vulnerable to a business downturn. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline. 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. The good news is it paid out just 9.8% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that Edenred'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?

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 Edenred earnings per share are up 4.6% per annum over the last five years. A payout ratio of 77% looks like a tacit signal from management that reinvestment opportunities in the business are low. In line with limited earnings growth in recent years, this is not the most appealing combination.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Edenred has delivered 4.1% 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

Is Edenred an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share growth has been modest and Edenred paid out over half of its profits and less than half of its free cash flow, although both payout ratios are within normal limits. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we're not inclined to race out and buy Edenred today.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Edenred is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Edenred (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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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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