Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Gen Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:GEN) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Accordingly, Gen Digital investors that purchase the stock on or after the 17th of August will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 9th of September.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.125 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.50 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Gen Digital has a trailing yield of 1.7% on the current stock price of US$29.01. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

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 Gen Digital's payout ratio is modest, at just 29% of profit. 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. It paid out 20% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.

It's positive to see that Gen Digital'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?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Gen Digital earnings per share are up 8.3% per annum over the last five years. The company is retaining more than half of its earnings within the business, and it has been growing earnings at a decent rate. Organisations that reinvest heavily in themselves typically get stronger over time, which can bring attractive benefits such as stronger earnings and dividends.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Gen Digital has seen its dividend decline 1.8% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see.

To Sum It Up

Is Gen Digital an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share have been growing moderately, and Gen Digital is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends, which is an attractive combination as it suggests the company is investing in growth. We would prefer to see earnings growing faster, but the best dividend stocks over the long term typically combine significant earnings per share growth with a low payout ratio, and Gen Digital is halfway there. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Gen Digital is facing.

A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks.

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.