3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 3 days. You can purchase shares before the 19th of November in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 12th of December.
3M's next dividend payment will be US$1.47 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$5.88 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that 3M has a trailing yield of 3.5% on the current share price of $169.79. 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 3M has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
See our latest analysis for 3M
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. 3M paid out 68% of its earnings to investors last year, a normal payout level for most businesses. 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. Over the last year it paid out 53% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.
It's positive to see that 3M'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. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at 3M, with earnings per share up 2.4% on average over the last five years. Earnings growth has been slim and the company is paying out more than half of its earnings. While there is some room to both increase the payout ratio and reinvest in the business, generally the higher a payout ratio goes, the lower a company's prospects for future growth.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. 3M has delivered 11% 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
Is 3M worth buying for its dividend? Earnings per share growth has been unremarkable, and while the company is paying out a majority of its earnings and cash flow in the form of dividends, the dividend payments don't appear excessive. Overall we're not hugely bearish on the stock, but there are likely better dividend investments out there.
With that being said, if dividends aren't your biggest concern with 3M, you should know about the other risks facing this business. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with 3M and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
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November 15, 2020 at 09:27PM
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3M Company (NYSE:MMM) Stock Goes Ex-Dividend In Just Three Days - Yahoo Finance
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