Is It Smart To Buy Beluga Group Public Joint-Stock Company (MCX:BELU) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?

Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Beluga Group Public Joint-Stock Company (MCX:BELU) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 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. Accordingly, Beluga Group investors that purchase the stock on or after the 1st of October will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 1st of January.

The company's next dividend payment will be ₽72.76 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of ₽163 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that Beluga Group has a trailing yield of 4.8% on the current share price of RUB3422. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

See our latest analysis for Beluga Group

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. Beluga Group is paying out an acceptable 59% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. The good news is it paid out just 22% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that Beluga Group'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?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That's why it's comforting to see Beluga Group's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 85% per annum for the past five years. The current payout ratio suggests a good balance between rewarding shareholders with dividends, and reinvesting in growth. Earnings per share have been growing quickly and in combination with some reinvestment and a middling payout ratio, the stock may have decent dividend prospects going forwards.

We'd also point out that Beluga Group issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. It's hard to grow dividends per share when a company keeps creating new shares.

Given that Beluga Group has only been paying a dividend for a year, there's not much of a past history to draw insight from.

To Sum It Up

Is Beluga Group an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We like Beluga Group's growing earnings per share and the fact that - while its payout ratio is around average - it paid out a lower percentage of its cash flow. There's a lot to like about Beluga Group, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. To help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Beluga Group (1 is potentially serious!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting 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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