Readers hoping to buy Aier Eye Hospital Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300015) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Thus, you can purchase Aier Eye Hospital Group's shares before the 11th of July in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 11th of July.

The company's next dividend payment will be CN¥0.12 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CN¥0.12 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Aier Eye Hospital Group stock has a trailing yield of around 0.3% on the current share price of CN¥42.51. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Aier Eye Hospital Group's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Aier Eye Hospital Group

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. Fortunately Aier Eye Hospital Group's payout ratio is modest, at just 26% of profit. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Aier Eye Hospital Group generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. It paid out 23% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservatively low.

It's positive to see that Aier Eye Hospital Group'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.

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. That's why it's comforting to see Aier Eye Hospital Group's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 32% per annum for the past five years. Aier Eye Hospital Group is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. This is a very favourable combination that can often lead to the dividend multiplying over the long term, if earnings grow and the company pays out a higher percentage of its earnings.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the past 10 years, Aier Eye Hospital Group has increased its dividend at approximately 24% a year on average. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.

The Bottom Line

Has Aier Eye Hospital Group got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? It's great that Aier Eye Hospital Group is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. It's disappointing to see the dividend has been cut at least once in the past, but as things stand now, the low payout ratio suggests a conservative approach to dividends, which we like. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

While it's tempting to invest in Aier Eye Hospital Group for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. For example - Aier Eye Hospital Group has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

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.