MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTX) Passed Our Checks, And It's About To Pay A US$0.72 Dividend

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 MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTX) is about to go ex-dividend in just 2 days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the 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. In other words, investors can purchase MarketAxess Holdings' shares before the 7th of February in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 22nd of February.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.72 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$2.88 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that MarketAxess Holdings has a trailing yield of 0.8% on the current share price of $345.9. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether MarketAxess Holdings can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

View our latest analysis for MarketAxess Holdings

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Fortunately MarketAxess Holdings's payout ratio is modest, at just 42% of profit.

Companies that pay out less in dividends than they earn in profits generally have more sustainable dividends. The lower the payout ratio, the more wiggle room the business has before it could be forced to cut the dividend.

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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. Fortunately for readers, MarketAxess Holdings's earnings per share have been growing at 11% a year for the past five years.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, MarketAxess Holdings has lifted its dividend by approximately 21% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.

The Bottom Line

Has MarketAxess Holdings got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Typically, companies that are growing rapidly and paying out a low fraction of earnings are keeping the profits for reinvestment in the business. This strategy can add significant value to shareholders over the long term - as long as it's done without issuing too many new shares. In summary, MarketAxess Holdings appears to have some promise as a dividend stock, and we'd suggest taking a closer look at it.

Ever wonder what the future holds for MarketAxess Holdings? See what the 13 analysts we track are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow

Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers.

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

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.

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