Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.34
Central Securities Corp. (CET) Dividend History
Income profile from 1980 to 2025 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.5%
Payout Ratio
13.2%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
2 years
CET Dividend Income Check
Safety
13.2% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
2 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 8.4% and trend is rising.
CET Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.5%
Trailing DPS$1.34
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M2
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout13.2%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout105.2%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score7/9
Growth
Growth Streak2 years
3Y CAGR3.3%
5Y CAGR26.0%
Yield on Cost (5Y)8.4%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.0%
Total Shareholder Yield2.5%
1Y Total Return27.2%
5Y Total Return71.7%
Div Contribution (5Y)33.3%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$17,16710Y ago$37,18720Y ago$34,237
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.
CET Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (46 years of payments)
CET Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Central Securities Corp. distributes 13.2% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 105.2%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
CET has raised its dividend for 2 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 3.3% and 5-year CAGR of 26.0%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, CET returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.5% dividend yield, 2.5% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 8.4% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 71.7%, with dividends contributing 33.3% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $37,187 today.
FCF payout is stretched — the dividend consumes a large share of free cash flow.
CET Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$17.85
Avg/Payment$0.8925
Latest Change+880.0%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2025Latest | $2.4500 | ↑ +880.0% | 5.52% | Dec 19, 2025 |
| Jun 17, 2025 | $0.2500 | ↓ -87.8% | 4.90% | Jun 27, 2025 |
| Nov 15, 2024 | $2.0500 | ↑ +925.0% | 4.85% | Dec 20, 2024 |
| Jun 14, 2024 | $0.2000 | ↓ -87.9% | 4.26% | Jun 26, 2024 |
| Nov 10, 2023 | $1.6500 | ↑ +725.0% | 5.26% | Dec 21, 2023 |
| Jun 9, 2023 | $0.2000 | ↓ -91.1% | 6.88% | Jun 27, 2023 |
| Nov 10, 2022 | $2.2500 | ↑ +1025.0% | 7.05% | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Jun 10, 2022 | $0.2000 | ↓ -94.4% | 10.34% | Jun 24, 2022 |
CET Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#5 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.5%
#5 of 5
Safety
Sustainable
13.2% payout
Streak
2Y
26.0% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
2.5%
#5 of 5
TPVG
BEN
IVZ
CSWCCET Annual Dividend History (1980–2025)
46 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.70 | 20.0% | 2 | — | — | — | 8.4% |
| 2024 | $2.25 | 21.6% | 2 | $10.14 | 22.2% | 4.51x | 7.0% |
| 2023 | $1.85 | -24.5% | 2 | $7.88 | 23.5% | 4.26x | 5.8% |
| 2022 | $2.45 | -34.7% | 2 | $-5.81 | — | — | 7.6% |
| 2021 | $3.75 | 341.2% | 2 | $12.97 | 28.9% | 3.46x | 11.7% |
| 2020 | $0.85 | 49.1% | 2 | $2.81 | 30.2% | 3.31x | 2.6% |
| 2019 | $0.57 | -60.7% | 2 | $9.70 | 5.9% | 17.02x | 1.8% |
| 2018 | $1.45 | 45.0% | 2 | $-1.34 | — | — | 4.5% |
| 2017 | $1.00 | 2.0% | 2 | $6.73 | 14.9% | 6.73x | 3.1% |
| 2016 | $0.98 | 237.9% | 2 | $4.53 | 21.6% | 4.62x | 3.1% |
See CET's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonCET — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CET stock.
How much dividend does CET pay per share?
Central Securities Corp. (CET) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.34 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.5%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is CET's next ex-dividend date?
CET's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. CET typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is CET's dividend safe?
CET's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +13.2% and FCF payout ratio of +105.2%. The 2-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
How many years has CET increased its dividend?
CET has 2 consecutive years of dividend growth. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +26.0%.
How often does CET pay dividends?
Central Securities Corp. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.34 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 45+ years from 1980 to 2025.
How much would $10,000 invested in CET grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in CET five years ago would be worth approximately $17,167 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is CET's yield on cost for long-term holders?
CET's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +8.4% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +2.5% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.