Yahoo Finance Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) Could Be A Buy For Its Upcoming Dividend
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) is about to go ex-dividend in just three days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. 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. This means that investors who purchase Marathon Oil's shares on or after the 16th of August will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 12th of September.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.08 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.32 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Marathon Oil has a trailing yield of 1.3% on the current stock price of $23.91. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.
See our latest analysis for Marathon Oil
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. Marathon Oil paid out just 7.0% of its profit last year, which we think is conservatively low and leaves plenty of margin for unexpected circumstances. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Marathon Oil generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. What's good is that dividends were well covered by free cash flow, with the company paying out 5.6% 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 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. That's why it's comforting to see Marathon Oil's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 36% per annum for the past five years. Marathon Oil looks like a real growth company, with earnings per share growing at a cracking pace and the company reinvesting most of its profits in the business.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Marathon Oil has seen its dividend decline 6.1% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see. It's unusual to see earnings per share increasing at the same time as dividends per share have been in decline. We'd hope it's because the company is reinvesting heavily in its business, but it could also suggest business is lumpy.
Final Takeaway
Is Marathon Oil an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Marathon Oil has grown its earnings per share while simultaneously reinvesting in the business. Unfortunately it's cut the dividend at least once in the past 10 years, but the conservative payout ratio makes the current dividend look sustainable. Marathon Oil looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.
In light of that, while Marathon Oil has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. For example, we've found 2 warning signs for Marathon Oil (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before investing in the shares.
A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield 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.
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