Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Jerash Holdings (US), Inc. (NASDAQ:JRSH) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 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 of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Therefore, if you purchase Jerash Holdings (US)'s shares on or after the 15th of February, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 23rd of February.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.05 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.20 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Jerash Holdings (US) has a trailing yield of 6.3% on the current share price of US$3.19. 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 Jerash Holdings (US) has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

Check out our latest analysis for Jerash Holdings (US)

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Jerash Holdings (US) lost money last year, so the fact that it's paying a dividend is certainly disconcerting. There might be a good reason for this, but we'd want to look into it further before getting comfortable. With the recent loss, it's important to check if the business generated enough cash to pay its dividend. If Jerash Holdings (US) didn't generate enough cash to pay the dividend, then it must have either paid from cash in the bank or by borrowing money, neither of which is sustainable in the long term. Luckily it paid out just 24% of its free cash flow last year.

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

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. Jerash Holdings (US) reported a loss last year, and the general trend suggests its earnings have also been declining in recent years, making us wonder if the dividend is at risk.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Jerash Holdings (US)'s dividend payments are effectively flat on where they were five years ago. When earnings are declining yet the dividends are flat, typically the company is either paying out a higher portion of its earnings, or paying out of cash or debt on the balance sheet, neither of which is ideal.