Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.60
Central Securities Corp. (CET) Dividend History
Income profile from 1980 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
3.0%
Payout Ratio
17.5%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
2 years
CET Dividend Income Check
Safety
17.5% 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 Yield3.0%
Trailing DPS$1.60
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M2
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout17.5%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout115.2%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score2/9
Growth
Growth Streak2 years
3Y CAGR3.3%
5Y CAGR26.0%
Yield on Cost (5Y)8.4%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.1%
Total Shareholder Yield3.1%
1Y Total Return17.6%
5Y Total Return60.2%
Div Contribution (5Y)32.0%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$16,02510Y ago$35,62020Y ago$35,115
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 (47 years of payments)
CET Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
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Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Central Securities Corp. distributes 17.5% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 115.2%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 2/9 — weak 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: 3.0% dividend yield, 0.1% buyback yield, 3.1% 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 60.2%, with dividends contributing 32.0% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $35,620 today.
FCF payout is stretched — the dividend consumes a large share of free cash flow.
CET Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$17.96
Avg/Payment$0.8980
Latest Change-87.3%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2026Latest | $0.3100 | ↓ -87.3% | 5.19% | Jun 26, 2026 |
| Nov 14, 2025 | $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 |
CET Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#4 yield in peer group
Div Yield
3.0%
#4 of 5
Safety
Sustainable
17.5% payout
Streak
2Y
26.0% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
3.1%
#5 of 5
TPVG
BEN
IVZ
CSWCCET Annual Dividend History (1980–2026)
47 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.31 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1.0% |
| 2025 | $2.70 | 20.0% | 2 | $9.15 | 29.5% | 3.39x | 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% |
Consensus-Based Analysis Tools
Intrinsic Valuation
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
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Historical Returns
46+ years return with dividends reinvested.
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DCA Calculator
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Peer Comparison
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CET — 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 $1.60 per share, with a current dividend yield of +3.0%. Payments are made 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 Annual.
Is CET's dividend safe?
CET's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +17.5% and FCF payout ratio of +115.2%. 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 Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.60 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 46+ years from 1980 to 2026.
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 $16,025 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 +3.0% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.