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[ad_1] A closely watched talc trial in California goes against Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), adding uncertainty around whether tens of thousands of other plaintiffs suing the company will sign on to J & J's proposed $8.9 billion settlement offer or seek to get their own days in court. Jim Cramer believes the biopharmaceutical company was "too hopeful" about winning. "The plaintiff system is stacked against them," Jim said. Still, he added, "I believe J & J is a great American company, I believe they'll see through this. ... They need to be a bit more realistic about what they say." Jim's conversations with J & J's legal team led him to believe there could be a path to victory in what we think is a pivotal case . But on Tuesday, J & J was ordered to pay $18.8 million after jurors found in favor of 24-year-old Emory Hernandez Valadez who claimed in his lawsuit that he developed mesothelioma, a deadly cancer linked to asbes

[ad_1] Send your questions directly to Jim Cramer and his team of analysts at investingclubmailbag@cnbc.com . Reminder, we can't offer personal investing advice. We will only consider more general questions about the investment process or stocks in the portfolio or related industries. Question 1: What are your thoughts on the stability of FORD's dividend? Thank you, Denise The quickest way to determine the sustainability of a company's dividend is to consider it in relation to earnings and/or cash flow. The dividend payout divided by the earnings number is referred to as the "payout ratio" — below 100% is generally considered sustainable (so long as it's positive). A negative number would imply negative earnings, which is obviously bad. A payout ratio above 100% would also be something to be concerned about because it means the company is paying out more than it makes and therefore eating into the cash on its balance sheet, an obviously unsustainable dyna