Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:SIRI) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 3 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 of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. In other words, investors can purchase Sirius XM Holdings' shares before the 4th of August in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 31st of August.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.022 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.088 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Sirius XM Holdings has a trailing yield of 1.3% on the current stock price of $6.68. 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.

View our latest analysis for Sirius XM Holdings

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Fortunately Sirius XM Holdings's payout ratio is modest, at just 25% of profit. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Sirius XM Holdings generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. It paid out 85% of its free cash flow as dividends, which is within usual limits but will limit the company's ability to lift the dividend if there's no growth.

It's positive to see that Sirius XM Holdings'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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. Fortunately for readers, Sirius XM Holdings's earnings per share have been growing at 16% a year for the past five years. It paid out more than three-quarters of its earnings in the last year, even though earnings per share are growing rapidly. We're surprised that management has not elected to reinvest more in the business to accelerate growth further.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last six years, Sirius XM Holdings has lifted its dividend by approximately 14% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy Sirius XM Holdings for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share have grown at a nice rate in recent times and over the last year, Sirius XM Holdings paid out less than half its earnings and a bit over half its free cash flow. Sirius XM Holdings looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Sirius XM Holdings is facing. For example - Sirius XM Holdings has 2 warning signs 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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