There's A Lot To Like About Jack Henry & Associates' (NASDAQ:JKHY) Upcoming US$0.49 Dividend

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ:JKHY) is about to trade 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. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. This means that investors who purchase Jack Henry & Associates' shares on or after the 26th of May will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 14th of June.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.49 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$1.96 per share to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Jack Henry & Associates has a trailing yield of 1.1% on the current share price of $179.12. 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 check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Jack Henry & Associates

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. That's why it's good to see Jack Henry & Associates paying out a modest 38% of its earnings. 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. Fortunately, it paid out only 44% of its free cash flow in the past year.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

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 decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. This is why it's a relief to see Jack Henry & Associates earnings per share are up 9.5% per annum over the last five years. The company is retaining more than half of its earnings within the business, and it has been growing earnings at a decent rate. Organisations that reinvest heavily in themselves typically get stronger over time, which can bring attractive benefits such as stronger earnings and dividends.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Jack Henry & Associates has lifted its dividend by approximately 17% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy Jack Henry & Associates for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share have been growing moderately, and Jack Henry & Associates is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends, which is an attractive combination as it suggests the company is investing in growth. It might be nice to see earnings growing faster, but Jack Henry & Associates is being conservative with its dividend payouts and could still perform reasonably over the long run. Jack Henry & Associates looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

While it's tempting to invest in Jack Henry & Associates for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Jack Henry & Associates that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.

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.

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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.