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Enghouse Systems Limited (TSE:ENGH) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 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 a full business day. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company’s books on the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Enghouse Systems’ shares before the 14th of November to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 28th of November.

The company’s next dividend payment will be CA$0.30 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CA$1.20 per share. Last year’s total dividend payments show that Enghouse Systems has a trailing yield of 5.7% on the current share price of CA$20.98. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. As a result, readers should always check whether Enghouse Systems has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

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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. It paid out 85% of its earnings as dividends last year, which is not unreasonable, but limits reinvestment in the business and leaves the dividend vulnerable to a business downturn. We’d be concerned if earnings began to decline. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. It paid out more than half (52%) of its free cash flow in the past year, which is within an average range for most companies.

It’s positive to see that Enghouse Systems’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.

Check out our latest analysis for Enghouse Systems

Click here to see the company’s payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Companies that aren’t growing their earnings can still be valuable, but it is even more important to assess the sustainability of the dividend if it looks like the company will struggle to grow. 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 not enthused to see that Enghouse Systems’s earnings per share have remained effectively flat over the past five years. Better than seeing them fall off a cliff, for sure, but the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run. A payout ratio of 85% looks like a tacit signal from management that reinvestment opportunities in the business are low. In line with limited earnings growth in recent years, this is not the most appealing combination.

Many investors will assess a company’s dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Enghouse Systems has lifted its dividend by approximately 20% a year on average.

Is Enghouse Systems an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Enghouse Systems has struggled to grow its earnings per share, and while the company is paying out a majority of its earnings and cash flow in the form of dividends, the dividend payments don’t appear unsustainable. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we’re not inclined to race out and buy Enghouse Systems today.

Wondering what the future holds for Enghouse Systems? See what the four analysts we track are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow

Generally, we wouldn’t recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here’s a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers.

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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.