Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) Is About To Go Ex-Dividend, And It Pays A 3.3% Yield

Readers hoping to buy Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date, which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order 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. This means that investors who purchase Medtronic's shares on or after the 27th of June will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 11th of July.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.71 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$2.84 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Medtronic has a trailing yield of 3.3% on the current share price of US$85.96. 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! That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

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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. Its dividend payout ratio is 77% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. 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. Over the last year it paid out 69% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.

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.

View our latest analysis for Medtronic

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks with flat earnings can still be attractive dividend payers, but it is important to be more conservative with your approach and demand a greater margin for safety when it comes to dividend sustainability. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It's not encouraging to see that Medtronic's earnings are effectively flat over the past five years. Better than seeing them fall off a cliff, for sure, but the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run. A high payout ratio of 77% generally happens when a company can't find better uses for the cash. Combined with slim earnings growth in the past few years, Medtronic could be signalling that its future growth prospects are thin.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Medtronic has lifted its dividend by approximately 8.8% a year on average.

The Bottom Line

Is Medtronic an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Medtronic has struggled to grow its earnings per share, and while the company is paying out a majority of its earnings and cash flow in the form of dividends, the dividend payments don't appear unsustainable. All things considered, we are not particularly enthused about Medtronic from a dividend perspective.

If you're not too concerned about Medtronic's ability to pay dividends, you should still be mindful of some of the other risks that this business faces. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Medtronic and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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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.