Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:KLIC) Looks Like A Good Stock, And It's Going Ex-Dividend Soon

Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:KLIC) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 24th of March will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 12th of April.

Kulicke and Soffa Industries's next dividend payment will be US$0.14 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.56 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Kulicke and Soffa Industries has a trailing yield of 1.1% on the current share price of $49.62. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

See our latest analysis for Kulicke and Soffa Industries

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. Fortunately Kulicke and Soffa Industries's payout ratio is modest, at just 36% of profit. 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. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 26% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio.

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 the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Fortunately for readers, Kulicke and Soffa Industries's earnings per share have been growing at 15% a year for the past five years. The company has managed to grow earnings at a rapid rate, while reinvesting most of the profits within the business. Fast-growing businesses that are reinvesting heavily are enticing from a dividend perspective, especially since they can often increase the payout ratio later.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the past three years, Kulicke and Soffa Industries has increased its dividend at approximately 5.3% a year on average. Earnings per share have been growing much quicker than dividends, potentially because Kulicke and Soffa Industries is keeping back more of its profits to grow the business.

Final Takeaway

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Kulicke and Soffa Industries? We love that Kulicke and Soffa Industries is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. There's a lot to like about Kulicke and Soffa Industries, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Kulicke and Soffa Industries is facing. For example - Kulicke and Soffa Industries has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

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. 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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