Dividend investors know that it pays to follow how much of a company's money goes toward funding its payouts. A nice yield now won't matter much if the company can't keep making those payments going forward.

Here, we'll highlight a given company and its closest competitors to see just how safe their dividends are, with a little help from three crucial tools:

  • The interest coverage ratio, or earnings before interest and taxes, divided by interest expense. The interest coverage ratio measures a company's ability to pay the interest on its debt. An interest coverage ratio less than 1.5 is questionable; a number less than 1 means that the company is not bringing in enough money to cover its interest expenses.
  • The EPS payout ratio, or dividends per share divided by earnings per share. The EPS payout ratio measures the percentage of earnings that go toward paying the dividend. A ratio greater than 80% is worrisome.
  • The FCF payout ratio, or dividends per share divided by free cash flow per share. Earnings alone don't always paint a complete picture of a business' health. The FCF payout ratio measures the percentage of free cash flow devoted toward paying the dividend. Again, a ratio greater 80% could be a red flag.

Let's examine Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC) and three of its peers.

Company

Yield

Interest Coverage

EPS Payout Ratio

FCF Payout Ratio
Kinross Gold 0.7% 35.1 11.2% 23.8%
Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY) 1.5% 21.1 15.2% 49.4%
Goldcorp (NYSE: GG) 0.8% 31.1 9.7% 41.4%
Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM) 1.5% 15.9 12.3% 12.5%

Source: Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's.

With an interest coverage of 35.1, Kinross Gold covers every $1 in interest expenses with $35 in operating earnings. Given its EPS payout ratio and FCF payout ratio below 25%, you shouldn't have to worry that Kinross Gold will need to cut its dividend anytime soon.

Another tool for better investing
Most investors don't keep tabs on their companies. That's a mistake. If you take the time to read past the headlines and crack a filing now and then, you're in a much better position to spot potential trouble early. We can help you keep tabs on your companies with My Watchlist, our free, personalized stock-tracking service.