How Safe Is Total -- and Its Dividend?
The global pandemic has left oil prices at levels that make it very hard for energy companies to turn a profit. However, not all of the names in the space are made of the same stuff. For example, France's Total (NYSE: TOT) thinks it can handle the headwinds and adjust its business to deal with what it expects to be a very different long-term energy future. Here's what you need to know.
One of the most important things to understand about dividends is that the choice to pay -- and at what level -- is entirely up to the board of directors. There's no way for an investor to really know whether or not a dividend will be maintained, though there are some key things one can examine to get a feel for what may happen. That said, Total's board has been very clear about its position on the dividend.
Image source: Getty Images.
Source Fool.com
