Packaged meat company Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFD) will release earnings for its fourth quarter before the opening bell on Tuesday, March 24. Analysts expect quarterly earnings of 68 cents per share. That’s up from 52 cents per share in the year-ago period.

The consensus estimate for Smithfield Foods' quarterly revenue is $4.15 billion; it reported $3.95 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

With the recent buzz around Smithfield Foods, including its recent January acquisition of Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NASDAQ:NATH),some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company's dividends too. As of now, Smithfield Foods has an annual dividend yield of 4.33%, with a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share ($1.00 per year). So, how can investors exploit its dividend ...