Quebecor Inc. (TSE:QBR.A) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be two business days 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 an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. This means that investors who purchase Quebecor's shares on or after the 23rd of May will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 17th of June.

The company's next dividend payment will be CA$0.35 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of CA$1.40 per share. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Quebecor has a trailing yield of approximately 3.6% on its current stock price of CA$39.04. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Quebecor's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

Our free stock report includes 1 warning sign investors should be aware of before investing in Quebecor. Read for free now.

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. That's why it's good to see Quebecor paying out a modest 40% of its earnings. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Fortunately, it paid out only 34% of its free cash flow in the past year.

It's positive to see that Quebecor'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.

View our latest analysis for Quebecor

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.TSX:QBR.A Historic Dividend May 18th 2025

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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. This is why it's a relief to see Quebecor earnings per share are up 8.9% per annum over the last five years. Management have been reinvested more than half of the company's earnings within the business, and the company has been able to grow earnings with this retained capital. We think this is generally an attractive combination, as dividends can grow through a combination of earnings growth and or a higher payout ratio over time.

Story Continues

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the last 10 years, Quebecor has lifted its dividend by approximately 40% 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.

To Sum It Up

Has Quebecor got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share have been growing moderately, and Quebecor is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends, which is an attractive combination as it suggests the company is investing in growth. We would prefer to see earnings growing faster, but the best dividend stocks over the long term typically combine significant earnings per share growth with a low payout ratio, and Quebecor is halfway there. Quebecor looks solid on this analysis overall, and we'd definitely consider investigating it more closely.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. Our analysis shows 1 warning sign for Quebecor and you should be aware of it before buying any shares.

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.

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