Readers hoping to buy OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:OMF) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a 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. Accordingly, OneMain Holdings investors that purchase the stock on or after the 12th of November will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 18th of November.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$1.04 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$4.16 per share. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, OneMain Holdings has a trailing yield of approximately 7.7% on its current stock price of US$54.23. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether OneMain Holdings can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for OneMain Holdings

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 89% 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. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline.

Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.

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

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at OneMain Holdings, with earnings per share up 6.9% on average over the last five years.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. OneMain Holdings has delivered 27% dividend growth per year on average over the past six years. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.

To Sum It Up

Is OneMain Holdings an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? OneMain Holdings has been generating some growth in earnings per share while paying out more than half of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. In sum this is a middling combination, and we find it hard to get excited about the company from a dividend perspective.

However if you're still interested in OneMain Holdings as a potential investment, you should definitely consider some of the risks involved with OneMain Holdings. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for OneMain Holdings (1 is a bit unpleasant) you should be aware of.

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.