Is It Smart To Buy Mannatech, Incorporated (NASDAQ:MTEX) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?

It looks like Mannatech, Incorporated (NASDAQ:MTEX) is about to go ex-dividend in the next two days. 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. 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, Mannatech investors that purchase the stock on or after the 1st of June will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 14th of June.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.16 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.64 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Mannatech stock has a trailing yield of around 2.5% on the current share price of $25.15. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

See our latest analysis for Mannatech

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. Mannatech paid out just 24% of its profit last year, which we think is conservatively low and leaves plenty of margin for unexpected circumstances. 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. What's good is that dividends were well covered by free cash flow, with the company paying out 23% of its cash flow 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 Mannatech paid out over the last 12 months.

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. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Mannatech, with earnings per share up 3.8% on average over the last five years. Growth has been anaemic. Yet with more than 75% of its earnings being kept in the business, there is ample room to reinvest in growth or lift the payout ratio - either of which could increase the dividend.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last five years, Mannatech has lifted its dividend by approximately 5.1% a year on average. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.

To Sum It Up

Is Mannatech an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share growth has been growing somewhat, and Mannatech is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends. This is interesting for a few reasons, as it suggests management may be reinvesting heavily in the business, but it also provides room to increase the dividend in time. It might be nice to see earnings growing faster, but Mannatech is being conservative with its dividend payouts and could still perform reasonably over the long run. Mannatech looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

So while Mannatech looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 3 warning signs with Mannatech and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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. 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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