Chevron’s earnings clock is ticking

Earnings day is basically here

Chevron is slated to report first-quarter results before the opening bell on Friday, May 1, which means the market is about to find out whether the oil giant is cruising or coasting. Analysts are looking for earnings of 97 cents per share on $52.7 billion in revenue, both down from last year — not exactly the kind of setup that makes Wall Street reach for confetti.

The dividend rabbit hole

The article’s real hook is the dividend angle, because Chevron’s annual payout currently works out to a 3.70% yield and $7.12 a year per share. That’s enough for the classic investor daydream: “How much would I need to stash away to collect $500 a month?” The answer, according to the math here, is about $162,041, or roughly 843 shares at current levels.

Why you should care

This is where the dividend story gets a little less glamorous and a lot more useful. If Chevron’s earnings or outlook disappoint, the stock could wobble and the yield math changes with it. If results come in better than feared, the shares may keep benefiting from the market’s favorite oil-company combo meal: cash flow plus income.

One analyst already adjusted the compass

Ahead of the report, Scotiabank’s Paul Cheng kept a Sector Perform rating on the stock and nudged the price target up from $168 to $187 on April 22. So the Street isn’t exactly panicking — but it also isn’t treating Chevron like a no-brainer.

Big picture: Chevron’s dividend may be the comfy part of the story, but Friday’s earnings call is the part that can move the stock.