Trailing Dividend / Share
$5.86
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) Dividend History
Income profile from 1982 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
0.6%
Payout Ratio
31.0%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
12 years
CAT Dividend Income Check
Safety
31.0% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
12 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 3.2% and trend is rising.
CAT Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield0.6%
Trailing DPS$5.86
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout31.0%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout23.8%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score5/9
Growth
Growth Streak12 years
3Y CAGR8.1%
5Y CAGR7.2%
Yield on Cost (5Y)3.2%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.2%
Total Shareholder Yield1.9%
1Y Total Return181.8%
5Y Total Return291.3%
Div Contribution (5Y)11.0%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$39,12510Y ago$130,31920Y ago$121,099
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
CAT Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (45 years of payments)
CAT Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Caterpillar Inc. distributes 31.0% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 23.8%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 5/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
CAT has raised its dividend for 12 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 8.1% and 5-year CAGR of 7.2%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, CAT returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 0.6% dividend yield, 1.2% buyback yield, 1.9% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 3.2% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 291.3%, with dividends contributing 11.0% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $130,319 today.
CAT Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$26.12
Avg/Payment$1.3060
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 2026Latest | $1.5100 | — | 75.65% | May 19, 2026 |
| Jan 20, 2026 | $1.5100 | — | 94.44% | Feb 19, 2026 |
| Oct 20, 2025 | $1.5100 | — | 1.10% | Nov 20, 2025 |
| Jul 21, 2025 | $1.5100 | ↑ +7.1% | 1.40% | Aug 20, 2025 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | $1.4100 | — | 1.98% | May 20, 2025 |
| Jan 21, 2025 | $1.4100 | — | 1.39% | Feb 20, 2025 |
| Oct 21, 2024 | $1.4100 | — | 1.39% | Nov 20, 2024 |
| Jul 22, 2024 | $1.4100 | ↑ +8.5% | 1.53% | Aug 20, 2024 |
CAT Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#8 yield in peer group
Div Yield
0.6%
#8 of 9
Safety
Sustainable
31.0% payout
Streak
12Y
7.2% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
1.9%
#5 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATCaterpillar Inc. | $420.9B | 0.6% | 31.0% | 12 | Sustainable |
 DEDeere & Company | $156.1B | 1.1% | 34.2% | 8 | Sustainable |
2nd  CNHCNH Industrial N.V. | $12.8B | 2.6% | 65.3% | 0 | Watch |
 AGCOAGCO Corporation | $8.3B | 1.0% | 11.9% | 0 | Sustainable |
1st  PCARPACCAR Inc | $59.7B | 3.8% | 95.4% | 0 | At Risk |
3rd  CMICummins Inc. | $93.3B | 1.1% | 37.1% | 21 | Sustainable |
 VMCVulcan Materials Com… | $37.8B | 0.7% | 24.0% | 12 | Sustainable |
 MLMMartin Marietta Mate… | $36.6B | 0.5% | 17.3% | 11 | Sustainable |
 TEXTerex Corporation | $4.0B | 1.1% | 20.4% | 0 | Sustainable |
CAT Annual Dividend History (1982–2026)
45 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $3.02 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1.7% |
| 2025 | $5.84 | 7.7% | 4 | $18.83 | 31.0% | 3.22x | 3.2% |
| 2024 | $5.42 | 8.4% | 4 | $22.05 | 24.6% | 4.07x | 3.0% |
| 2023 | $5.00 | 8.2% | 4 | $20.12 | 24.9% | 4.02x | 2.7% |
| 2022 | $4.62 | 7.9% | 4 | $12.64 | 36.6% | 2.74x | 2.5% |
| 2021 | $4.28 | 3.9% | 4 | $11.83 | 36.2% | 2.76x | 2.3% |
| 2020 | $4.12 | 9.0% | 4 | $5.46 | 75.5% | 1.33x | 2.3% |
| 2019 | $3.78 | 15.2% | 4 | $10.74 | 35.2% | 2.84x | 2.1% |
| 2018 | $3.28 | 5.8% | 4 | $10.26 | 32.0% | 3.13x | 1.8% |
| 2017 | $3.10 | 0.6% | 4 | $1.26 | 246.0% | 0.41x | 1.7% |
Full CAT Stock Analysis
Analyst consensus, bull case, AI-generated risk factors, and peer comparison — all in one place.
Should I Buy CAT Right Now?
Bull case, key risks, Wall St analyst verdict, and what council investors are saying — updated daily.
See CAT's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
Launch CalculatorIs CAT Undervalued?
DCF intrinsic value, peer multiples, and analyst estimates — see what the stock is really worth.
View ValuationCompare CAT vs SPIR
Side-by-side business, growth, and profitability comparison vs Spire Global, Inc..
Start ComparisonCAT — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CAT stock.
How much dividend does CAT pay per share?
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $5.86 per share, with a current dividend yield of +0.6%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is CAT's next ex-dividend date?
CAT's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. CAT typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is CAT's dividend safe?
CAT's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +31.0% and FCF payout ratio of +23.8%. With 12 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is CAT a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Caterpillar Inc. is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 12 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +7.2%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does CAT pay dividends?
Caterpillar Inc. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $5.86 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 44+ years from 1982 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in CAT grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in CAT five years ago would be worth approximately $39,125 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is CAT's yield on cost for long-term holders?
CAT's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +3.2% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +0.6% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.