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There's A Lot To Like About Hillenbrand's (NYSE:HI) Upcoming US$0.22 Dividend

Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible 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. Thus, you can purchase Hillenbrand's shares before the 16th of March in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 31st of March.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.22 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.88 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Hillenbrand has a trailing yield of 1.9% on the current stock price of $45.35. 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 investigate whether Hillenbrand can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

See our latest analysis for Hillenbrand

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Fortunately Hillenbrand's payout ratio is modest, at just 29% 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. It paid out more than half (75%) of its free cash flow in the past year, which is within an average range for most companies.

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It's positive to see that Hillenbrand'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.

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historic-dividend

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. This is why it's a relief to see Hillenbrand earnings per share are up 9.0% per annum over the last five years. While earnings have been growing at a credible rate, the company is paying out a majority of its earnings to shareholders. Therefore it's unlikely that the company will be able to reinvest heavily in its business, which could presage slower growth in the future.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, Hillenbrand has lifted its dividend by approximately 1.3% a year on average.

Final Takeaway

Is Hillenbrand worth buying for its dividend? Earnings per share growth has been modest, and it's interesting that Hillenbrand is paying out less than half of its earnings and more than half its cash flow to shareholders in the form of dividends. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we're not inclined to race out and buy Hillenbrand today.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Hillenbrand is facing. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Hillenbrand that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.

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

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

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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