Trailing Dividend / Share
$3.54
Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) Dividend History
Income profile from 1996 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.3%
Payout Ratio
46.8%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
29 years
CNI Dividend Income Check
Safety
46.8% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
29 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 2.3% and trend is rising.
CNI Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.3%
Trailing DPS$3.54
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M5
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout46.8%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout60.5%
FCF SafetyAdequate
Piotroski F-Score8/9
Growth
Growth Streak29 years
3Y CAGR4.2%
5Y CAGR8.0%
Yield on Cost (5Y)2.3%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield2.3%
Total Shareholder Yield4.6%
1Y Total Return13.7%
5Y Total Return9.1%
Div Contribution (5Y)10.4%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$10,90910Y ago$22,19420Y ago$57,877
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.
CNI Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (31 years of payments)
CNI Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Canadian National Railway Company distributes 46.8% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 60.5%, rated "Adequate".
Piotroski F-Score: 8/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
CNI has raised its dividend for 29 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 4.2% and 5-year CAGR of 8.0%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, CNI returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.3% dividend yield, 2.3% buyback yield, 4.6% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 2.3% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 9.1%, with dividends contributing 10.4% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $22,194 today.
CNI Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$12.56
Avg/Payment$0.6279
Latest Change+96.8%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2026Latest | $1.3300 | ↑ +96.8% | 2.94% | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | $0.6757 | ↑ +5.5% | 2.45% | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Dec 9, 2025 | $0.6407 | ↓ -0.3% | 2.61% | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Sep 8, 2025 | $0.6427 | ↓ -1.0% | 2.63% | Sep 29, 2025 |
| Jun 9, 2025 | $0.6489 | ↑ +5.5% | 2.38% | Jun 30, 2025 |
| Mar 10, 2025 | $0.6150 | ↑ +2.7% | 2.50% | Mar 31, 2025 |
| Dec 9, 2024 | $0.5987 | ↓ -3.9% | 2.32% | Dec 30, 2024 |
| Sep 6, 2024 | $0.6231 | ↑ +0.8% | 2.12% | Sep 27, 2024 |
CNI Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#2 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.3%
#2 of 9
Safety
Sustainable
46.8% payout
Streak
29Y
8.0% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
4.6%
#2 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd CNICanadian National Ra… | $67.8B | 2.3% | 46.8% | 29 | Sustainable |
 CPCanadian Pacific Kan… | $76.5B | 0.7% | 19.2% | 2 | Sustainable |
3rd  UNPUnion Pacific Corpor… | $157.2B | 2.1% | 45.3% | 9 | Sustainable |
 CSXCSX Corporation | $82.6B | 1.2% | 33.6% | 21 | Sustainable |
 NSCNorfolk Southern Cor… | $70.4B | 1.7% | 42.3% | 24 | Sustainable |
 WABWestinghouse Air Bra… | $45.1B | 0.4% | 14.8% | 6 | Sustainable |
 GATXGATX Corporation | $6.5B | 1.4% | 26.9% | 19 | Sustainable |
1st  TRNTrinity Industries, … | $2.9B | 3.2% | 39.0% | 15 | Sustainable |
 CATCaterpillar Inc. | $416.8B | 0.7% | 31.0% | 8 | Sustainable |
CNI Annual Dividend History (1995–2026)
32 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $2.01 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1.8% |
| 2025 | $2.55 | 3.5% | 4 | $7.56 | 33.7% | 2.97x | 2.3% |
| 2024 | $2.46 | 5.9% | 4 | $7.01 | 35.1% | 2.85x | 2.2% |
| 2023 | $2.32 | 3.3% | 4 | $8.53 | 27.2% | 3.67x | 2.1% |
| 2022 | $2.25 | 14.6% | 4 | $7.44 | 30.2% | 3.31x | 2.1% |
| 2021 | $1.96 | 13.4% | 4 | $6.90 | 28.5% | 3.51x | 1.8% |
| 2020 | $1.73 | 6.9% | 4 | $5.00 | 34.6% | 2.89x | 1.6% |
| 2019 | $1.62 | 16.5% | 4 | $5.86 | 27.6% | 3.62x | 1.5% |
| 2018 | $1.39 | 9.2% | 4 | $5.87 | 23.7% | 4.22x | 1.3% |
| 2017 | $1.27 | 11.0% | 4 | $7.24 | 17.6% | 5.68x | 1.2% |
Full CNI Stock Analysis
Analyst consensus, bull case, AI-generated risk factors, and peer comparison — all in one place.
See CNI's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonCNI — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CNI stock.
How much dividend does CNI pay per share?
Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $3.54 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.3%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is CNI's next ex-dividend date?
CNI's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. CNI typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is CNI's dividend safe?
CNI's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +46.8% and FCF payout ratio of +60.5%. With 29 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is CNI a Dividend Aristocrat?
Yes, Canadian National Railway Company is classified as a Dividend Aristocrat with 29 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +8.0%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does CNI pay dividends?
Canadian National Railway Company pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $3.54 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 30+ years from 1996 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in CNI grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in CNI five years ago would be worth approximately $10,909 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is CNI's yield on cost for long-term holders?
CNI's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +2.3% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +2.3% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.