Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.27
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (CTSH) Dividend History
Income profile from 2017 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.5%
Payout Ratio
27.4%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
9 years
CTSH Dividend Income Check
Safety
27.4% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
9 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 1.6% and trend is rising.
CTSH Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.5%
Trailing DPS$1.27
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M5
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout27.4%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout24.3%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score6/9
Growth
Growth Streak9 years
3Y CAGR4.7%
5Y CAGR7.1%
Yield on Cost (5Y)1.6%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield5.7%
Total Shareholder Yield8.1%
1Y Total Return-32.3%
5Y Total Return-24.0%
Div Contribution (5Y)7.6%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$7,59610Y ago$9,94720Y ago$35,017
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.
CTSH Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (10 years of payments)
CTSH Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation distributes 27.4% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 24.3%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 6/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
CTSH has raised its dividend for 9 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 4.7% and 5-year CAGR of 7.1%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, CTSH returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.5% dividend yield, 5.7% buyback yield, 8.1% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 1.6% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is -24.0%, with dividends contributing 7.6% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $9,947 today.
CTSH Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$5.82
Avg/Payment$0.2910
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026Latest | $0.3300 | — | 2.44% | May 27, 2026 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | $0.3300 | ↑ +6.5% | 1.89% | Feb 26, 2026 |
| Nov 18, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 1.73% | Nov 26, 2025 |
| Aug 18, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 1.75% | Aug 26, 2025 |
| May 19, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 1.50% | May 28, 2025 |
| Feb 18, 2025 | $0.3100 | ↑ +3.3% | 1.36% | Feb 26, 2025 |
| Nov 19, 2024 | $0.3000 | — | 1.57% | Nov 27, 2024 |
| Aug 20, 2024 | $0.3000 | — | 1.58% | Aug 28, 2024 |
CTSH Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#6 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.5%
#6 of 6
Safety
Sustainable
27.4% payout
Streak
9Y
7.1% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
8.1%
#2 of 6
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTSHCognizant Technology… | $24.3B | 2.5% | 27.4% | 9 | Sustainable |
3rd  ACNAccenture plc | $108.7B | 3.4% | 48.2% | 14 | Sustainable |
1st  INFYInfosys Limited | $51.3B | 4.6% | 76.5% | 4 | Watch |
 WITWipro Limited | $20.9B | 3.2% | 47.2% | 1 | Sustainable |
2nd  KFRCKforce Inc. | $769M | 3.7% | 78.9% | 8 | Watch |
 IBMInternational Busine… | $211.8B | 2.9% | 59.0% | 30 | Sustainable |
CTSH Annual Dividend History (1998–2026)
29 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.66 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 0.8% |
| 2025 | $1.24 | 3.3% | 4 | $4.55 | 27.3% | 3.67x | 1.6% |
| 2024 | $1.20 | 3.4% | 4 | $4.51 | 26.6% | 3.76x | 1.5% |
| 2023 | $1.16 | 7.4% | 4 | $4.21 | 27.6% | 3.63x | 1.5% |
| 2022 | $1.08 | 12.5% | 4 | $4.41 | 24.5% | 4.08x | 1.4% |
| 2021 | $0.96 | 9.1% | 4 | $4.05 | 23.7% | 4.22x | 1.2% |
| 2020 | $0.88 | 10.0% | 4 | $2.57 | 34.2% | 2.92x | 1.1% |
| 2019 | $0.80 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.29 | 24.3% | 4.11x | 1.0% |
| 2018 | $0.80 | 77.8% | 4 | $3.60 | 22.2% | 4.50x | 1.0% |
| 2017 | $0.45 | — | 3 | $2.53 | 17.8% | 5.62x | 0.6% |
Full CTSH Stock Analysis
Analyst consensus, bull case, AI-generated risk factors, and peer comparison — all in one place.
See CTSH's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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View ValuationCompare CTSH vs NVDA
Side-by-side business, growth, and profitability comparison vs NVIDIA Corporation.
Start ComparisonCTSH — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CTSH stock.
How much dividend does CTSH pay per share?
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (CTSH) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.27 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.5%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is CTSH's next ex-dividend date?
CTSH's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. CTSH typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is CTSH's dividend safe?
CTSH's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +27.4% and FCF payout ratio of +24.3%. The 9-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
Is CTSH a Dividend Payer?
Yes, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation is classified as a Dividend Payer with 9 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +7.1%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does CTSH pay dividends?
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.27 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 9+ years from 2017 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in CTSH grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in CTSH five years ago would be worth approximately $7,596 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is CTSH's yield on cost for long-term holders?
CTSH's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +1.6% 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.