Do These 3 Checks Before Buying Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETH) For Its Upcoming Dividend

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETH) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. You can purchase shares before the 7th of October in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 22nd of October.

Ethan Allen Interiors's upcoming dividend is US$0.21 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.84 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Ethan Allen Interiors has a trailing yield of 6.1% on the current stock price of $13.77. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! As a result, readers should always check whether Ethan Allen Interiors has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

Check out our latest analysis for Ethan Allen Interiors

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. Last year, Ethan Allen Interiors paid out 246% of its profit to shareholders in the form of dividends. This is not sustainable behaviour and requires a closer look on behalf of the purchaser. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Over the last year it paid out 58% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.

It's disappointing to see that the dividend was not covered by profits, but cash is more important from a dividend sustainability perspective, and Ethan Allen Interiors fortunately did generate enough cash to fund its dividend. Still, if the company repeatedly paid a dividend greater than its profits, we'd be concerned. Extraordinarily few companies are capable of persistently paying a dividend that is greater than their profits.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. With that in mind, we're discomforted by Ethan Allen Interiors's 23% per annum decline in earnings in the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Ethan Allen Interiors has lifted its dividend by approximately 15% a year on average. The only way to pay higher dividends when earnings are shrinking is either to pay out a larger percentage of profits, spend cash from the balance sheet, or borrow the money. Ethan Allen Interiors is already paying out 246% of its profits, and with shrinking earnings we think it's unlikely that this dividend will grow quickly in the future.

To Sum It Up

Is Ethan Allen Interiors worth buying for its dividend? Earnings per share have been in decline, which is not encouraging. Worse, Ethan Allen Interiors's paying out a majority of its earnings and more than half its free cash flow. Positive cash flows are good news but it's not a good combination. It's not the most attractive proposition from a dividend perspective, and we'd probably give this one a miss for now.

Although, if you're still interested in Ethan Allen Interiors and want to know more, you'll find it very useful to know what risks this stock faces. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Ethan Allen Interiors and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top 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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