Is It Worth Considering Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIRT) For Its Upcoming Dividend?

It looks like Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIRT) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 4 days. If you purchase the stock on or after the 31st of August, you won't be eligible to receive this dividend, when it is paid on the 15th of September.

Virtu Financial's next dividend payment will be US$0.24 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.96 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Virtu Financial has a trailing yield of 3.7% on the current share price of $25.75. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

See our latest analysis for Virtu Financial

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. Fortunately Virtu Financial's payout ratio is modest, at just 30% 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?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see Virtu Financial's earnings per share have dropped 12% a year over the past five years. Ultimately, when earnings per share decline, the size of the pie from which dividends can be paid, shrinks.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Virtu Financial's dividend payments are effectively flat on where they were five years ago. When earnings are declining yet the dividends are flat, typically the company is either paying out a higher portion of its earnings, or paying out of cash or debt on the balance sheet, neither of which is ideal.

To Sum It Up

Is Virtu Financial an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Virtu Financial's earnings per share are down over the past five years, although it has the cushion of a low payout ratio, which would suggest a cut to the dividend is relatively unlikely. In sum this is a middling combination, and we find it hard to get excited about the company from a dividend perspective.

If you're not too concerned about Virtu Financial's ability to pay dividends, you should still be mindful of some of the other risks that this business faces. For example, we've found 3 warning signs for Virtu Financial (1 is potentially serious!) that deserve your attention before investing in the shares.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top 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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