Why You Might Be Interested In Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) For Its Upcoming Dividend

Readers hoping to buy Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) 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. Therefore, if you purchase Littelfuse's shares on or after the 23rd of February, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 10th of March.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.53 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$2.12 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Littelfuse stock has a trailing yield of around 0.8% on the current share price of $256.59. 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! So we need to investigate whether Littelfuse can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for Littelfuse

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. Littelfuse has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 18% of its income after tax. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Littelfuse generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. It paid out 18% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.

It's positive to see that Littelfuse'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?

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. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. Fortunately for readers, Littelfuse's earnings per share have been growing at 20% a year for the past five years. Earnings per share are growing rapidly and the company is keeping more than half of its earnings within the business; an attractive combination which could suggest the company is focused on reinvesting to grow earnings further. Fast-growing businesses that are reinvesting heavily are enticing from a dividend perspective, especially since they can often increase the payout ratio later.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the past 10 years, Littelfuse has increased its dividend at approximately 13% a year on average. Both per-share earnings and dividends have both been growing rapidly in recent times, which is great to see.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy Littelfuse for the upcoming dividend? Littelfuse has been growing earnings at a rapid rate, and has a conservatively low payout ratio, implying that it is reinvesting heavily in its business; a sterling combination. There's a lot to like about Littelfuse, and we would prioritise taking a closer look at it.

While it's tempting to invest in Littelfuse for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for Littelfuse that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.

If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top dividend stocks.

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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.