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
32 years
CAT Dividend Income Check
Safety
31.0% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
32 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
FrequencyQuarterly
Payments / 12M5
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout31.0%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout23.8%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score5/9
Growth
Growth Streak32 years
3Y CAGR8.1%
5Y CAGR7.2%
Yield on Cost (5Y)3.2%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.1%
Total Shareholder Yield1.7%
1Y Total Return175.7%
5Y Total Return384.5%
Div Contribution (5Y)12.5%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$48,45110Y ago$134,74020Y ago$150,075
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
Get CAT's next ex-dividend date and payout in your inbox
Monthly dividend calendar — upcoming ex-dates for stocks you follow.
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 32 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, 1.1% buyback yield, 1.7% 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 384.5%, with dividends contributing 12.5% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $134,740 today.
CAT Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Quarterly
TTM Total$26.64
Avg/Payment$1.3320
Latest Change+7.9%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2026Latest | $1.6300 | ↑ +7.9% | 62.49% | Aug 19, 2026 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | $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 |
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
32Y
7.2% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
1.7%
#8 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATCaterpillar Inc. | $458.7B | 0.6% | 31.0% | 32 | Sustainable |
3rd  DEDeere & Company | $159.1B | 1.1% | 34.2% | 5 | Sustainable |
2nd  CNHCNH Industrial N.V. | $13.0B | 2.5% | 65.3% | 0 | Watch |
 AGCOAGCO Corporation | $8.2B | 1.0% | 11.9% | 0 | Sustainable |
1st  PCARPACCAR Inc | $62.6B | 3.6% | 95.4% | 5 | At Risk |
 CMICummins Inc. | $99.0B | 1.1% | 37.1% | 20 | Sustainable |
 VMCVulcan Materials Com… | $39.3B | 0.7% | 24.0% | 12 | Sustainable |
 MLMMartin Marietta Mate… | $36.7B | 0.5% | 17.3% | 10 | Sustainable |
 TEXTerex Corporation | $4.4B | 1.0% | 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 | $4.65 | — | 3 | — | — | — | 2.6% |
| 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% |
Consensus-Based Analysis Tools
Full Stock Analysis
Deep dive into CAT consensus models and risk factors.
View Analysis
Should I Buy CAT?
Wall Street verdict, signals, and target summaries.
See Verdict
Intrinsic Valuation
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
Check Valuation
Historical Returns
44+ years return with dividends reinvested.
Calculate
DCA Calculator
See how regular investing compounds over time.
Run Numbers
Peer Comparison
Compare growth, multiples, and margins vs sector.
Compare
CAT — 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 Quarterly.
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 Quarterly.
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 32 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is CAT a Dividend Aristocrat?
Yes, Caterpillar Inc. is classified as a Dividend Aristocrat with 32 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 Quarterly. 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 $48,451 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.