Readers hoping to buy Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002835) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. 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 important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. In other words, investors can purchase Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology's shares before the 30th of May in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of May.

The company's next dividend payment will be CN¥0.21 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CN¥0.21 per share. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology has a trailing yield of 1.2% on the current share price of CN¥17.72. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

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. Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology paid out just 25% 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. The good news is it paid out just 18% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology'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 how much of its profit Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology paid out over the last 12 months.

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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That's why it's comforting to see Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 112% per annum for the past five years. Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology 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. Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology has delivered an average of 16% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past seven years of dividend payments. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it.

To Sum It Up

Should investors buy Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology for the upcoming dividend? Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology has grown its earnings per share while simultaneously reinvesting in the business. Unfortunately it's cut the dividend at least once in the past seven years, but the conservative payout ratio makes the current dividend look sustainable. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Shenzhen TVT Digital Technology you should know about.

Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers.

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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.