Just Four Days Till Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) Will Be Trading Ex-Dividend
Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. 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. Accordingly, Great-West Lifeco investors that purchase the stock on or after the 1st of December will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of December.
The company's next dividend payment will be CA$0.49 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed CA$1.96 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Great-West Lifeco stock has a trailing yield of around 6.1% on the current share price of CA$32.22. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. As a result, readers should always check whether Great-West Lifeco has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
Check out our latest analysis for Great-West Lifeco
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. Great-West Lifeco paid out more than half (62%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies.
Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.
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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Great-West Lifeco, with earnings per share up 3.5% on average over the last five years.
The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Great-West Lifeco has lifted its dividend by approximately 4.8% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.
Final Takeaway
Is Great-West Lifeco an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Great-West Lifeco has been generating some growth in earnings per share while paying out more than half of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. We think there are likely better opportunities out there.
Curious what other investors think of Great-West Lifeco? See what analysts are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow.
A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield 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.
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