Three Days Left Until Hang Lung Group Limited (HKG:10) Trades Ex-Dividend

Readers hoping to buy Hang Lung Group Limited (HKG:10) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. 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. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Accordingly, Hang Lung Group investors that purchase the stock on or after the 10th of September will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 29th of September.

The company's next dividend payment will be HK$0.21 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed HK$0.84 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Hang Lung Group has a trailing yield of 4.4% on the current stock price of HK$18.94. 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 Hang Lung Group can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

See our latest analysis for Hang Lung Group

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. Hang Lung Group paid out more than half (73%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 39% of its free cash flow in the past 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 how much of its profit Hang Lung Group paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Hang Lung Group's earnings per share have fallen at approximately 14% a year over the previous five years. Such a sharp decline casts doubt on the future sustainability of 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, 10 years ago, Hang Lung Group has lifted its dividend by approximately 1.0% a year on average.

The Bottom Line

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Hang Lung Group? We're not enthused by the declining earnings per share, although at least the company's payout ratio is within a reasonable range, meaning it may not be at imminent risk of a dividend cut. To summarise, Hang Lung Group looks okay on this analysis, although it doesn't appear a stand-out opportunity.

So if you want to do more digging on Hang Lung Group, you'll find it worthwhile knowing the risks that this stock faces. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Hang Lung Group (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares.

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.

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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.
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