Read This Before Considering Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited (NZSE:FCG) For Its Upcoming NZ$0.15 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 Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited (NZSE:FCG) is about to go ex-dividend in just 2 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 of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Meaning, you will need to purchase Fonterra Co-operative Group's shares before the 29th of September to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 15th of October.

The company's next dividend payment will be NZ$0.15 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of NZ$0.20 per share. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Fonterra Co-operative Group has a trailing yield of 5.8% on the current share price of NZ$3.43. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Fonterra Co-operative Group's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Fonterra Co-operative Group

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Fonterra Co-operative Group paid out more than half (63%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Fonterra Co-operative Group generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. The good news is it paid out just 24% of its free cash flow in the last 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 Fonterra Co-operative 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 decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Fonterra Co-operative Group's earnings per share have fallen at approximately 8.9% 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. Fonterra Co-operative Group has seen its dividend decline 5.4% per annum on average over the past eight years, which is not great to see. It's never nice to see earnings and dividends falling, but at least management has cut the dividend rather than potentially risk the company's health in an attempt to maintain it.

Final Takeaway

Is Fonterra Co-operative Group worth buying for its dividend? The payout ratios are within a reasonable range, implying the dividend may be sustainable. Declining earnings are a serious concern, however, and could pose a threat to the dividend in future. Overall we're not hugely bearish on the stock, but there are likely better dividend investments out there.

If you want to look further into Fonterra Co-operative Group, it's worth knowing the risks this business faces. For example, Fonterra Co-operative Group has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think 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. 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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