Yahoo Finance Is It Smart To Buy Landstar System, Inc. (NASDAQ:LSTR) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?
Landstar System, Inc. (NASDAQ:LSTR) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 2 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 important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Therefore, if you purchase Landstar System's shares on or after the 3rd of May, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 26th of May.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.30 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$3.20 per share. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Landstar System has a trailing yield of approximately 1.8% on its current stock price of $176.03. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.
See our latest analysis for Landstar System
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Landstar System paid out just 11% 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 Landstar System generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. It paid out 19% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.
It's positive to see that Landstar System'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. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It's encouraging to see Landstar System has grown its earnings rapidly, up 20% a year for the past five years. With earnings per share growing rapidly and the company sensibly reinvesting almost all of its profits within the business, Landstar System looks like a promising growth company.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Landstar System has delivered an average of 30% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 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.
The Bottom Line
From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Landstar System? We love that Landstar System is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.
So while Landstar System looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. For example - Landstar System has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.
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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