Many investors see dividends as the main point of stock holding
3 min read
Never buy a stock because of its dividend. A dividend shouldn’t be a reason to invest in a poor business. Most important is the performance of the business. That will drive a stock’s return and the company will be able to pay a dividend. So, you must pay attention to the business as a whole, the company’s plans, its goals, even to management and how they treat their employees.
Dividend stocks are recognized as safe investments, that is true. They are the highest valued companies. They have grown their dividends during the past 20 years and these are usually held as safe businesses.
But, just because a firm is providing dividends doesn’t mean it is a trustworthy investment. You have to learn how to avoid pitfalls that may arise, at first glance, with good dividends.
Executives can use the dividends to pacify nervous and fidgety investors when the stock price isn’t running as they are expecting. You must know how the management is handling the dividends in a company’s strategy, for example. If you notice a lack of growth, stay away. Such a business isn’t good to invest in, even if it provides good dividends.
Do you know what has happened in 2008?
A great stock’s dividend yields were forced to unnaturally high levels due to stock price drops. The dividend yields seemed fascinating, but as the economic crisis developed, the profits fell. That caused the numerous dividend plans to be canceled entirely. The best example is the banks’ stocks in 2008.
They were paying great dividends but whenever dividend is paid the stock value instantly falls by an equal amount. That’s the point. And you may ask if the bankers knew that? Of course, they did.
Let me explain you something.
Very often, the chief purpose why some company pays dividends is because the executives can’t discover some solid growth possibilities within their own company to invest its earned profits in.
Hence, the company allows extra earnings to stockholders by paying dividends. But this is good, you may say. Yes, but…
When a company gives a dividend equivalent to its profits, that is a sign that they are not able to find investment opportunity within their own business that would give greater return. If such a company stays for a long time in a similar situation, the growth will be slow. And at some point in time, they will stop paying dividends and the stock price will decrease to worthless.
That’s the secret. So when you ask yourself should you buy a stock because of its dividend, be careful and have a bigger picture in mind.
You should buy a stock because the company is paying attention to the development, research, infrastructure… Things that will increase your profit as the stock price is going up.
Now, can you answer me, should you buy a stock just because of its dividend?
Of course not.
Moreover, dividend-yielding stocks are taxable income.
A dividend is a delivery of a part of a company’s earnings to stockholders. It can be done in cash, stocks, or other assets. It is a bonus to investors.
Yes, many investors see dividends as the main point of stock holding. They want to hold the stock long-term and the dividends are an addon to income. Nothing is problematic in that. But buying a stock just because of dividend is very wrong.
Dividends are an indication that the company is doing well, dividends are not bad. It has profits to share, more cash than it demands and it can give it to its stockholders. And a stock’s price may rise quickly after a dividend is paid.
And there is a catch, on the ex-dividend day, the stock’s value will surely drop. The value of the stock will drop by a sum almost the same to the amount paid in dividends.
When you want to buy some stock do it because you believe in business or you think the value will rise. Don’t do it only because of a dividend.
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