Readers hoping to buy Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002860) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. 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 important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Meaning, you will need to purchase Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance's shares before the 23rd of May to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 23rd of May.

The company's next dividend payment will be CN¥0.10 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed CN¥0.10 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance has a trailing yield of 1.0% on the current share price of CN¥10.00. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

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. Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance paid out just 15% of its profit last year, which we think is conservatively low and leaves plenty of margin for unexpected circumstances. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Luckily it paid out just 19% of its free 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 how much of its profit Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance paid out over the last 12 months.

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. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Fortunately for readers, Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance's earnings per share have been growing at 15% 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.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the past six years, Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance has increased its dividend at approximately 2.9% a year on average. Earnings per share have been growing much quicker than dividends, potentially because Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance is keeping back more of its profits to grow the business.

Final Takeaway

Is Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance worth buying for its dividend? It's great that Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance 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. Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

So while Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for Hangzhou Star Shuaier Electric Appliance 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.