Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 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 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 Westamerica Bancorporation's shares before the 30th of July in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 13th of August.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.41 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$1.64 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Westamerica Bancorporation has a trailing yield of 2.9% on the current share price of $55.74. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Westamerica Bancorporation's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

See our latest analysis for Westamerica Bancorporation

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. Westamerica Bancorporation paid out more than half (51%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies.

Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.

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 fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Westamerica Bancorporation, with earnings per share up 7.0% on average over the last five years.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Westamerica Bancorporation has delivered 1.3% dividend growth per year on average over the past 10 years.

The Bottom Line

Is Westamerica Bancorporation an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Westamerica Bancorporation has been generating some growth in earnings per share while paying out more than half of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. It doesn't appear an outstanding opportunity, but could be worth a closer look.

If you're not too concerned about Westamerica Bancorporation's ability to pay dividends, you should still be mindful of some of the other risks that this business faces. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Westamerica Bancorporation you should be aware of.

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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