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Don't Race Out To Buy Z Energy Limited (NZSE:ZEL) Just Because It's Going Ex-Dividend

Z Energy Limited (NZSE:ZEL) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four 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. Meaning, you will need to purchase Z Energy's shares before the 20th of May to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 2nd of June.

The company's next dividend payment will be NZ$0.16 per share, which looks like a nice increase on last year, when the company distributed a total of NZ$0.14 to shareholders. 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 Z Energy can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

See our latest analysis for Z Energy

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. Z Energy distributed an unsustainably high 127% of its profit as dividends to shareholders last year. Without extenuating circumstances, we'd consider the dividend at risk of a cut.

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

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historic-dividend

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see Z Energy's earnings per share have dropped 7.2% a year over the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.

We'd also point out that Z Energy issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend while issuing large amounts of new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Z Energy has seen its dividend decline 1.2% per annum on average over the past eight years, which is not great to see.

To Sum It Up

Has Z Energy got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Not only are earnings per share shrinking, but Z Energy is paying out a disconcertingly high percentage of its profit as dividends. It's not that we hate the business, but we feel that these characeristics are not desirable for investors seeking a reliable dividend stock to own for the long term. This is not an overtly appealing combination of characteristics, and we're just not that interested in this company's dividend.

So if you're still interested in Z Energy despite it's poor dividend qualities, you should be well informed on some of the risks facing this stock. Our analysis shows 4 warning signs for Z Energy that we strongly recommend you have a look at before investing in the company.

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.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.