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Dividend Stock Ratios
Dividend stock ratios are used by investors and analysts to evaluate the dividends a company might pay out in the future. Dividend payouts depend on many factors such as a company’s debt load; its cash flow; its earnings; its strategic plans and the capital needed for them; its dividend payout history; and its dividend policy. The four most popular ratios are the dividend payout ratio; dividend coverage ratio; free cash flow to equity (FCFE) ratio; and net debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) ratio.
Mature companies no longer in the growth stage may choose to pay dividends to their shareholders. A dividend is a cash distribution of a company’s earnings to its shareholders, which is declared by the company’s board of directors. A company may also issue dividends in the form of stock or other assets. Generally, dividend rates are quoted in terms of dollars per share, or they may be quoted in terms of a percentage of the stock’s current market price per share, which is known as the dividend yield.
Key Takeaways
- Dividend stock ratios are an indicator of a company’s ability to pay dividends to its shareholders in the future.
- The four most popular ratios are the dividend payout ratio, dividend coverage ratio, free cash flow to equity ratio, and net debt to EBITDA ratio.
- A low dividend payout ratio is considered preferable to a high dividend ratio because the latter may indicate that a company could struggle to maintain dividend payouts over the long term.
- Investors should use a combination of ratios to evaluate dividend stocks.
Understanding Dividend Stock Ratios
Some stocks have higher yields, which may be very attractive to income investors. Under normal market conditions, a stock that offers a dividend yield greater than that of the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield is considered a high-yielding stock. As of March 28, 2025, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was 4.27%. Therefore, any company that had a trailing 12-month dividend yield or forward dividend yield greater than 4.27% was considered a high-yielding stock.
However, prior to investing in stocks that offer high dividend yields, investors should analyze whether the dividends are sustainable for a long period. Investors who are focused on dividend-paying stocks should evaluate the quality of the dividends by analyzing the dividend payout ratio, dividend coverage ratio, free cash flow to equity (FCFE) ratio, and net debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) ratio.
Important
Income investors should check whether a high-yielding stock can maintain its performance over the long term by analyzing various dividend ratios.
Dividend Payout Ratio
The dividend payout ratio may be calculated as annual dividends per share (DPS) divided by earnings per share (EPS) or total dividends divided by net income. The dividend payout ratio indicates the portion of a company’s annual earnings per share that the organization is paying in the form of cash dividends per share. Cash dividends per share may also be interpreted as the percentage of net income that is being paid out in the form of cash dividends.
Generally, a company that pays out less than 50% of its earnings in the form of dividends is considered stable, and the company has the potential to raise its earnings over the long term. However, a company that pays out more than 50% may not raise its dividends as much as a company with a lower dividend payout ratio. Additionally, companies with high dividend payout ratios may have trouble maintaining their dividends over the long term.
When evaluating a company’s dividend payout ratio, investors should only compare a company’s dividend payout ratio with its industry average or similar companies.
Dividend Coverage Ratio
The dividend coverage ratio is calculated by dividing a company’s annual EPS by its annual DPS or dividing its net income less required dividend payments to preferred shareholders by its dividends applicable to common stockholders.
The dividend coverage ratio indicates the number of times a company could pay dividends to its common shareholders using its net income over a specified fiscal period. Generally, a higher dividend coverage ratio is more favorable.
While the dividend coverage ratio and the dividend payout ratio are reliable measures to evaluate dividend stocks, investors should also evaluate the free cash flow to equity (FCFE) ratio.
Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE) Ratio
The FCFE ratio measures the amount of cash that could be paid out to shareholders after all expenses and debts have been paid. The FCFE is calculated by subtracting net capital expenditures, debt repayment, and change in net working capital from net income and adding net debt.
Investors typically want to see that a company’s dividend payments are paid in full by FCFE.
Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio
The net debt to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) ratio is calculated by dividing a company’s total liability less cash and cash equivalents by its EBITDA. The net debt to EBITDA ratio measures a company’s leverage and its ability to meet its debt.
Generally, a company with a lower ratio, when measured against its industry average or similar companies, is more attractive. If a dividend-paying company has a high net debt to EBITDA ratio that has been increasing over multiple periods, the ratio indicates that the company may cut its dividend in the future.
Fast Fact
A company that pays out more than 50% of its earnings in the form of dividends may not raise its dividends as much as a company with a lower dividend payout ratio. Thus, investors prefer a company that pays out less of its earnings in the form of dividends.
What Is a Dividend Payout Ratio?
A dividend payout ratio is the total amount of dividends that a company pays to shareholders relative to its net income. Put simply, it’s the percentage of earnings paid to shareholders via dividends. The amount not paid to shareholders is retained by the company to pay off debt or to reinvest in its core operations.
A dividend payout ratio is also known as a payout ratio.
What Is a Dividend Coverage Ratio?
A dividend coverage ratio measures the number of times that a company can pay dividends to its common shareholders using its net income over a specified fiscal period.
The dividend coverage ratio is also known as the dividend cover.
What Is a Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE) Ratio?
A free cash flow to equity (FCFE) ratio measures how much cash is available to a company’s equity shareholders after all expenses, reinvestment, and debt are paid. FCFE is a measure of equity capital usage and is often used by analysts to try to determine the value of a company.
What Is a Net Debt to Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) Ratio?
A net debt to EBITDA ratio measures leverage, calculated as a company’s interest-bearing liabilities minus cash or cash equivalents, divided by its EBITDA. It’s a debt ratio that shows how many years it would take for a company to pay back its debt if net debt and EBITDA are held constant. However, if a company has more cash than debt, the ratio can be negative.
The Bottom Line
Each ratio provides valuable insights as to a stock’s ability to meet dividend payouts. However, investors who seek to evaluate dividend stocks should not use just one ratio because there could be other factors that indicate the company may cut its dividend. Investors should use a combination of ratios, such as those outlined above, to better evaluate dividend stocks.
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