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Strictly speaking, the dividend payout ratio accounts only for regular dividends paid to investors. However, sometimes, companies offer one-time dividend payments to all (or only some) of their investors. For the most accurate payout ratio values, these "special" dividends should not be included in dividend payout ratio calculations. Thus, the modified formula for calculating dividend payout ratios during periods that include special dividends is (Total dividends - Special dividends)/Net income. For example, if a company pays regular quarterly dividends totaling $1,000,000 over a year but also paid out one special $400,000 dividend to its investors after a financial windfall, we would ignore this special dividend in our payout ratio calculation. Assuming a net income of $3,000,000, the dividend payout ratio for this company is (1,400,000 - 400,000)/3,000,000 = 0.334 (or 33.4%). One way that people with money that they want to invest compare different investment opportunities is by looking at the history of  dividend payout ratios that each opportunity has had. Investors generally consider the size of the ratio (in other words, whether the company pays a lot or a little of its earnings back to investors) as well as its stability (in other words, how widely the ratio varies from one year to the next). Different dividend payout ratios appeal to investors with different objectives. In general, both very low and very high payout ratios (as well as those that vary greatly or decrease over time) signal risky investments. As suggested above, there are reasons why both high and low payout ratios might be appealing to an investor. For someone who's looking for a secure investment that's likely to provide a steady income, high payout ratios can signal that a company has grown to the point that it doesn't need to invest heavily in itself, making for a safe investment. On the other hand, for someone who's looking to seize a lucrative opportunity in the hopes of making big earnings in the long run, low payout ratios can signal that a company is investing heavily in its future. If the company ends up becoming successful, this sort of investment will prove to be very lucrative. This can be risky, however, as the company's long-term potential is still unknown. A company that pays out 100% or more of its earnings as dividends might seem like a good investment, but, in fact, this may be a sign that a company's financial health is unstable. A payout ratio of 100% or greater means that a company is paying out more money to its investors than it is earning. In other words, it's losing money by paying its investors. Because this practice is often unsustainable, this can be a sign that a significant reduction in the payout ratio is coming. There are exceptions to this trend. Established companies with high potential for future growth can sometimes get away with offering payout ratios over 100%. For instance, in 2011 AT&T paid about $1.75 in dividends per share and only earned about $0.77 per share. That was a payout ratio of over 200%. However, because the company's estimated earnings per share in 2012 and 2013 were both well over $2 per share, the short-term inability to sustain its dividend payouts did not impact the company's long-term financial outlook.
Account for special, one-time dividends. Use dividend payout ratios to compare investments. Pick high ratios for steady income and low ones for growth potential. Beware very high dividend payout ratios.