| This has been a wild earnings season. Every day, multiple stocks are up or down 15%, 20%, or more. Eastman Chemical (NYSE: EMN) was one of those stocks, dropping nearly 20% on August 1. That huge fall means the stock now yields 5.4%, which may attract the attention of income investors. But does the stock's plummet signal problems with the dividend? Let's dig in and find out. Eastman Chemical has been around for 105 years. Based in Kingsport, Tennessee, the company makes a wide variety of products, including lubricants, medical packaging, and ingredients used in beauty/personal care. The steep drop two weeks ago came after the company missed earnings expectations, lowered guidance, and said it is cutting inventory due to trade policy. In 2025, Eastman's free cash flow is forecast to drop to $501 million from $688 million last year. The Safety Net model never wants to see declining free cash flow, as that can make it more difficult for the company to afford the dividend if the deterioration continues. Even one year of falling cash flow is a warning sign. |
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