Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.11
Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT) Dividend History
Income profile from 2019 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
1.8%
Payout Ratio
16.2%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
6 years
ESNT Dividend Income Check
Safety
16.2% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
6 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 2.9% and trend is rising.
ESNT Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield1.8%
Trailing DPS$1.11
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout16.2%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout14.1%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score5/9
Growth
Growth Streak6 years
3Y CAGR13.0%
5Y CAGR14.1%
Yield on Cost (5Y)2.9%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.9%
Total Shareholder Yield3.7%
1Y Total Return5.1%
5Y Total Return25.5%
Div Contribution (5Y)9.8%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$12,55410Y ago$31,65520Y ago$31,609
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.
ESNT Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (8 years of payments)
ESNT Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Essent Group Ltd. distributes 16.2% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 14.1%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 5/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
ESNT has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 13.0% and 5-year CAGR of 14.1%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, ESNT returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 1.8% dividend yield, 1.9% buyback yield, 3.7% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 2.9% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 25.5%, with dividends contributing 9.8% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $31,655 today.
ESNT Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$5.11
Avg/Payment$0.2555
Latest Change+12.9%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026Latest | $0.3500 | ↑ +12.9% | 2.20% | Mar 23, 2026 |
| Dec 1, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 1.97% | Dec 10, 2025 |
| Aug 29, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 1.93% | Sep 10, 2025 |
| May 30, 2025 | $0.3100 | — | 2.03% | Jun 10, 2025 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | $0.3100 | ↑ +10.7% | 2.10% | Mar 24, 2025 |
| Dec 2, 2024 | $0.2800 | — | 1.96% | Dec 11, 2024 |
| Aug 30, 2024 | $0.2800 | — | 1.70% | Sep 10, 2024 |
| May 31, 2024 | $0.2800 | — | 1.87% | Jun 10, 2024 |
ESNT Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#7 yield in peer group
Div Yield
1.8%
#7 of 8
Safety
Sustainable
16.2% payout
Streak
6Y
14.1% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
3.7%
#6 of 8
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESNTEssent Group Ltd. | $5.9B | 1.8% | 16.2% | 6 | Sustainable |
 MTGMGIC Investment Corp… | $5.5B | 2.2% | 17.9% | 7 | Sustainable |
 RDNRadian Group Inc. | $4.8B | 2.8% | 25.1% | 10 | Sustainable |
 PFSIPennyMac Financial S… | $4.6B | 1.3% | 12.5% | 2 | Sustainable |
 ACTEnact Holdings, Inc. | $6.0B | 1.9% | 17.9% | 1 | Sustainable |
2nd  FAFFirst American Finan… | $7.0B | 3.1% | 35.9% | 15 | Sustainable |
1st  FNFFidelity National Fi… | $13.9B | 3.8% | 41.9% | 9 | Sustainable |
3rd  STCStewart Information … | $2.1B | 2.9% | 50.6% | 15 | Sustainable |
ESNT Annual Dividend History (2011–2026)
16 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.35 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 0.8% |
| 2025 | $1.24 | 10.7% | 4 | — | — | — | 2.9% |
| 2024 | $1.12 | 12.0% | 4 | $6.85 | 16.4% | 6.12x | 2.7% |
| 2023 | $1.00 | 16.3% | 4 | $6.50 | 15.4% | 6.50x | 2.4% |
| 2022 | $0.86 | 22.9% | 4 | $7.72 | 11.1% | 8.98x | 2.0% |
| 2021 | $0.70 | 9.4% | 4 | $6.11 | 11.5% | 8.73x | 1.7% |
| 2020 | $0.64 | 113.3% | 4 | $3.88 | 16.5% | 6.06x | 1.5% |
| 2019 | $0.30 | — | 2 | $5.66 | 5.3% | 18.87x | 0.7% |
| 2018 | $0.00 | — | 0 | $4.77 | — | — | — |
| 2017 | $0.00 | — | 0 | $3.99 | — | — | — |
See ESNT's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonESNT — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ESNT stock.
How much dividend does ESNT pay per share?
Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.11 per share, with a current dividend yield of +1.8%. Payments are made Annual.
When is ESNT's next ex-dividend date?
ESNT's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. ESNT typically pays dividends Annual.
Is ESNT's dividend safe?
ESNT's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +16.2% and FCF payout ratio of +14.1%. The 6-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
Is ESNT a Dividend Payer?
Yes, Essent Group Ltd. is classified as a Dividend Payer with 6 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +14.1%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does ESNT pay dividends?
Essent Group Ltd. pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.11 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 7+ years from 2019 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in ESNT grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in ESNT five years ago would be worth approximately $12,554 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is ESNT's yield on cost for long-term holders?
ESNT's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +2.9% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +1.8% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.