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There's A Lot To Like About Graphic Packaging Holding's (NYSE:GPK) Upcoming US$0.075 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 Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) is about to go ex-dividend in just four days. Investors can purchase shares before the 14th of September in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 5th of October.

Graphic Packaging Holding's next dividend payment will be US$0.075 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.30 per share. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Graphic Packaging Holding has a trailing yield of 2.1% on the current share price of $14.01. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

View our latest analysis for Graphic Packaging Holding

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. Graphic Packaging Holding is paying out an acceptable 69% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. It distributed 43% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

It's positive to see that Graphic Packaging Holding'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.

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Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. 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 Graphic Packaging Holding earnings per share are up 9.6% per annum over the last five years. While earnings have been growing at a credible rate, the company is paying out a majority of its earnings to shareholders. Therefore it's unlikely that the company will be able to reinvest heavily in its business, which could presage slower growth in the future.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last six years, Graphic Packaging Holding has lifted its dividend by approximately 7.0% 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.

Final Takeaway

Has Graphic Packaging Holding got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? While earnings per share growth has been modest, Graphic Packaging Holding's dividend payouts are around an average level; without a sharp change in earnings we feel that the dividend is likely somewhat sustainable. Pleasingly the company paid out a conservatively low percentage of its free cash flow. To summarise, Graphic Packaging Holding looks okay on this analysis, although it doesn't appear a stand-out opportunity.

In light of that, while Graphic Packaging Holding has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Graphic Packaging Holding that you should be aware of before investing in their 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. 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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