It looks like Monash IVF Group Limited (ASX:MVF) is about to go ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Monash IVF Group's shares before the 9th of September to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 8th of October.

The company's next dividend payment will be AU$0.021 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed AU$0.042 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Monash IVF Group has a trailing yield of approximately 4.3% on its current stock price of A$0.985. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Monash IVF Group's dividend is reliable and sustainable. As a result, readers should always check whether Monash IVF Group has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

View our latest analysis for Monash IVF Group

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. Monash IVF Group paid out 65% 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. It distributed 39% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

It's positive to see that Monash IVF Group'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?

When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. 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 discomforted by Monash IVF Group's 12% 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.

Monash IVF Group also issued more than 5% of its market cap in new stock during the past year, which we feel is likely to hurt its dividend prospects in the long run. It's hard to grow dividends per share when a company keeps creating new shares.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Monash IVF Group has seen its dividend decline 6.0% per annum on average over the past seven years, which is not great to see. It's never nice to see earnings and dividends falling, but at least management has cut the dividend rather than potentially risk the company's health in an attempt to maintain it.

To Sum It Up

Is Monash IVF Group an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We're not enthused by the declining earnings per share, although at least the company's payout ratio is within a reasonable range, meaning it may not be at imminent risk of a dividend cut. All things considered, we are not particularly enthused about Monash IVF Group from a dividend perspective.

With that being said, if dividends aren't your biggest concern with Monash IVF Group, you should know about the other risks facing this business. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Monash IVF Group you should know about.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.