Yahoo Finance Why You Might Be Interested In Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSE:CPG) For Its Upcoming Dividend
It looks like Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSE:CPG) is about to go ex-dividend in the next three days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the 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 Crescent Point Energy's shares before the 9th of March in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 17th of March.
The company's upcoming dividend is CA$0.032 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of CA$0.43 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Crescent Point Energy stock has a trailing yield of around 4.4% on the current share price of CA$9.96. 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! As a result, readers should always check whether Crescent Point Energy has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
Check out our latest analysis for Crescent Point Energy
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Crescent Point Energy paid out just 10% of its profit last year, which we think is conservatively low and leaves plenty of margin for unexpected circumstances. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. It paid out 19% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.
It's positive to see that Crescent Point Energy'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. That's why it's comforting to see Crescent Point Energy's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 41% per annum for the past five years. Crescent Point Energy earnings per share have been sprinting ahead like the Road Runner at a track and field day; scarcely stopping even for a cheeky "beep-beep". We also like that it is reinvesting most of its profits in its business.'
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Crescent Point Energy's dividend payments per share have declined at 17% per year on average over the past 10 years, which is uninspiring. Crescent Point Energy is a rare case where dividends have been decreasing at the same time as earnings per share have been improving. It's unusual to see, and could point to unstable conditions in the core business, or more rarely an intensified focus on reinvesting profits.
Final Takeaway
Has Crescent Point Energy got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? It's great that Crescent Point Energy is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. It's disappointing to see the dividend has been cut at least once in the past, but as things stand now, the low payout ratio suggests a conservative approach to dividends, which we like. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research.
While it's tempting to invest in Crescent Point Energy for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Crescent Point Energy (1 is significant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying 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.
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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