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 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKG:388) is about to go ex-dividend in just four days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a 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 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing's shares before the 30th of August in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 14th of September.

The company's upcoming dividend is HK$3.45 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of HK$7.63 per share to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has a trailing yield of 2.3% on the current share price of HK$331.6. 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 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing

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. Its dividend payout ratio is 90% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline.

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. Fortunately for readers, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing's earnings per share have been growing at 12% 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. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has delivered 6.0% dividend growth per year on average over the past 10 years. 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.

To Sum It Up

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing? Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has an acceptable payout ratio and its earnings per share have been improving at a decent rate. Overall, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing looks like a promising dividend stock in this analysis, and we think it would be worth investigating further.

Ever wonder what the future holds for Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing? See what the 28 analysts we track are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow

A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks.

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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.