It looks like Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX:HSN) is about to go ex-dividend in the next two days. If you purchase the stock on or after the 3rd of March, you won't be eligible to receive this dividend, when it is paid on the 25th of March.

Hansen Technologies's next dividend payment will be AU$0.05 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed AU$0.10 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Hansen Technologies has a trailing yield of approximately 2.4% on its current stock price of A$4.1. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to investigate whether Hansen Technologies can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

See our latest analysis for Hansen Technologies

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Hansen Technologies paid out more than half (51%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. 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 20% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that Hansen Technologies'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 fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. For this reason, we're glad to see Hansen Technologies's earnings per share have risen 14% per annum over the last five years. Hansen Technologies has an average payout ratio which suggests a balance between growing earnings and rewarding shareholders. This is a reasonable combination that could hint at some further dividend increases in the future.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Hansen Technologies has delivered 7.2% dividend growth per year on average over the past 10 years. 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.

To Sum It Up

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Hansen Technologies? We like Hansen Technologies's growing earnings per share and the fact that - while its payout ratio is around average - it paid out a lower percentage of its cash flow. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

While it's tempting to invest in Hansen Technologies for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for Hansen Technologies and you should be aware of these before buying any shares.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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