Why You Might Be Interested In U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) For Its Upcoming Dividend

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next two days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled 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. In other words, investors can purchase U.S. Bancorp's shares before the 29th of September in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 15th of October.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.46 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$1.68 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that U.S. Bancorp has a trailing yield of 3.1% on the current share price of $59.79. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether U.S. Bancorp's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

View our latest analysis for U.S. Bancorp

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 U.S. Bancorp paying out a modest 36% of its earnings.

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. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at U.S. Bancorp, with earnings per share up 8.3% on average over the last five years.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, U.S. Bancorp has lifted its dividend by approximately 25% a year on average. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.

To Sum It Up

Is U.S. Bancorp an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? It has been growing its earnings per share somewhat in recent years, although it reinvests more than half its earnings in the business, which could suggest there are some growth projects that have not yet reached fruition. Overall, U.S. Bancorp looks like a promising dividend stock in this analysis, and we think it would be worth investigating further.

While it's tempting to invest in U.S. Bancorp for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. Our analysis shows 1 warning sign for U.S. Bancorp and you should be aware of it before buying any shares.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting 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.