Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:OMF) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next three days. 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 of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Thus, you can purchase OneMain Holdings' shares before the 12th of February in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 20th of February.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$1.04 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$4.16 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, OneMain Holdings stock has a trailing yield of around 7.4% on the current share price of US$56.53. 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 OneMain Holdings

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Last year, OneMain Holdings paid out 97% of its income as dividends, which is above a level that we're comfortable with, especially if the company needs to reinvest in its business.

Generally, the higher a company's payout ratio, the more the dividend is at risk of being reduced.

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

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see OneMain Holdings's earnings per share have dropped 7.5% 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.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last six years, OneMain Holdings has lifted its dividend by approximately 27% a year on average. The only way to pay higher dividends when earnings are shrinking is either to pay out a larger percentage of profits, spend cash from the balance sheet, or borrow the money. OneMain Holdings is already paying out 97% of its profits, and with shrinking earnings we think it's unlikely that this dividend will grow quickly in the future.

To Sum It Up

Is OneMain Holdings an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share are in decline and OneMain Holdings is paying out what we feel is an uncomfortably high percentage of its profit as dividends. Generally we think dividend investors should avoid businesses in this situation, as high payout ratios and declining earnings can lead to the dividend being cut. This is not an overtly appealing combination of characteristics, and we're just not that interested in this company's dividend.

With that being said, if you're still considering OneMain Holdings as an investment, you'll find it beneficial to know what risks this stock is facing. For example, OneMain Holdings has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

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.