Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.38
Cathay General Bancorp (CATY) Dividend History
Income profile from 1991 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.4%
Payout Ratio
29.8%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
12 years
CATY Dividend Income Check
Safety
29.8% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
12 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 4.3% and trend is rising.
CATY Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.4%
Trailing DPS$1.38
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout29.8%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout25.8%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score8/9
Growth
Growth Streak12 years
3Y CAGR0.0%
5Y CAGR1.9%
Yield on Cost (5Y)4.3%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield4.7%
Total Shareholder Yield7.1%
1Y Total Return39.5%
5Y Total Return51.2%
Div Contribution (5Y)16.1%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$15,11910Y ago$23,73820Y ago$18,204
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.
CATY Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (36 years of payments)
CATY Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Cathay General Bancorp distributes 29.8% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 25.8%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 8/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
CATY has raised its dividend for 12 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 0.0% and 5-year CAGR of 1.9%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, CATY returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.4% dividend yield, 4.7% buyback yield, 7.1% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 4.3% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 51.2%, with dividends contributing 16.1% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $23,738 today.
CATY Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$6.78
Avg/Payment$0.3390
Latest Change+11.8%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26, 2026Latest | $0.3800 | ↑ +11.8% | 2.67% | Mar 9, 2026 |
| Dec 1, 2025 | $0.3400 | — | 2.78% | Dec 11, 2025 |
| Aug 28, 2025 | $0.3400 | — | 2.73% | Sep 8, 2025 |
| May 29, 2025 | $0.3400 | — | 3.16% | Jun 9, 2025 |
| Feb 27, 2025 | $0.3400 | — | 2.95% | Mar 10, 2025 |
| Nov 27, 2024 | $0.3400 | — | 2.60% | Dec 9, 2024 |
| Aug 29, 2024 | $0.3400 | — | 3.11% | Sep 9, 2024 |
| May 30, 2024 | $0.3400 | — | 3.74% | Jun 10, 2024 |
CATY Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#6 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.4%
#6 of 9
Safety
Sustainable
29.8% payout
Streak
12Y
1.9% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
7.1%
#3 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATYCathay General Banco… | $3.8B | 2.4% | 29.8% | 12 | Sustainable |
2nd  HAFCHanmi Financial Corp… | $908M | 3.6% | 42.9% | 5 | Sustainable |
1st  HOPEHope Bancorp, Inc. | $1.6B | 4.4% | 1.2% | 0 | Sustainable |
3rd  PFBCPreferred Bank | $1.2B | 3.1% | 28.6% | 5 | Sustainable |
 RBBRBB Bancorp | $412M | 2.7% | 44.0% | 4 | Sustainable |
 BCALSouthern California … | $613M | 0.5% | 5.2% | 1 | Sustainable |
 EBMTEagle Bancorp Montan… | $182M | 2.6% | 30.9% | 14 | Sustainable |
 WALWestern Alliance Ban… | $9.0B | 2.1% | 19.1% | 7 | Sustainable |
 EWBCEast West Bancorp, I… | $16.8B | 2.0% | 25.2% | 9 | Sustainable |
CATY Annual Dividend History (1990–2026)
37 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.38 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1.2% |
| 2025 | $1.36 | 0.0% | 4 | $4.54 | 30.0% | 3.34x | 4.3% |
| 2024 | $1.36 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.95 | 34.4% | 2.90x | 4.3% |
| 2023 | $1.36 | 0.0% | 4 | $4.86 | 28.0% | 3.57x | 4.3% |
| 2022 | $1.36 | 7.1% | 4 | $4.83 | 28.2% | 3.55x | 4.3% |
| 2021 | $1.27 | 2.4% | 4 | $3.80 | 33.4% | 2.99x | 4.0% |
| 2020 | $1.24 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.87 | 43.2% | 2.31x | 3.9% |
| 2019 | $1.24 | 20.4% | 4 | $3.48 | 35.6% | 2.81x | 3.9% |
| 2018 | $1.03 | 18.4% | 4 | $3.34 | 30.8% | 3.24x | 3.2% |
| 2017 | $0.87 | 16.0% | 4 | $2.17 | 40.1% | 2.49x | 2.7% |
See CATY's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonCATY — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CATY stock.
How much dividend does CATY pay per share?
Cathay General Bancorp (CATY) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.38 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.4%. Payments are made Annual.
When is CATY's next ex-dividend date?
CATY's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. CATY typically pays dividends Annual.
Is CATY's dividend safe?
CATY's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +29.8% and FCF payout ratio of +25.8%. With 12 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is CATY a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Cathay General Bancorp is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 12 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +1.9%, demonstrating modest dividend growth.
How often does CATY pay dividends?
Cathay General Bancorp pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.38 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 35+ years from 1991 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in CATY grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in CATY five years ago would be worth approximately $15,119 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is CATY's yield on cost for long-term holders?
CATY's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +4.3% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +2.4% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.