Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.79
MFA Financial, Inc. (MFA) Dividend History
Income profile from 1998 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
18.7%
Payout Ratio
1.1%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
1 years
MFA Dividend Income Check
Safety
1.1% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
1 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 9.6% and trend is rising.
MFA Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield18.7%
Trailing DPS$1.79
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout1.1%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout112.9%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score5/9
Growth
Growth Streak1 years
3Y CAGR-4.8%
5Y CAGR2.1%
Yield on Cost (5Y)9.6%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.6%
Total Shareholder Yield20.3%
1Y Total Return10.9%
5Y Total Return-3.3%
Div Contribution (5Y)42.6%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$9,67110Y ago$11,01320Y ago$23,672
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.
MFA Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (29 years of payments)
MFA Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
MFA Financial, Inc. distributes 1.1% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 112.9%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 5/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
MFA has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive year, with a 3-year CAGR of -4.8% and 5-year CAGR of 2.1%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, MFA returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 18.7% dividend yield, 1.6% buyback yield, 20.3% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 9.6% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is -3.3%, with dividends contributing 42.6% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $11,013 today.
FCF payout is stretched — the dividend consumes a large share of free cash flow.
MFA Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$7.51
Avg/Payment$0.3755
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2026Latest | $0.3600 | — | 15.03% | Apr 30, 2026 |
| Dec 31, 2025 | $0.3600 | — | 15.47% | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Sep 30, 2025 | $0.3600 | — | 15.56% | Oct 31, 2025 |
| Jun 30, 2025 | $0.3600 | — | 15.01% | Jul 31, 2025 |
| Mar 31, 2025 | $0.3600 | ↑ +2.9% | 13.74% | Apr 30, 2025 |
| Dec 31, 2024 | $0.3500 | — | 13.74% | Jan 31, 2025 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | $0.3500 | — | 11.17% | Oct 31, 2024 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | $0.3500 | — | 13.16% | Jul 31, 2024 |
MFA Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#2 yield in peer group
Div Yield
18.7%
#2 of 9
Safety
Sustainable
1.1% payout
Streak
1Y
2.1% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
20.3%
#3 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd MFAMFA Financial, Inc. | $975M | 18.7% | 1.1% | 1 | Sustainable |
 AGNCAGNC Investment Corp… | $9.6B | 14.7% | 1.4% | 0 | Sustainable |
 NLYAnnaly Capital Manag… | $16.1B | 13.1% | 92.8% | 1 | At Risk |
 TWOTwo Harbors Investme… | $1.3B | 13.4% | — | 0 | Unknown |
 MITTTPG Mortgage Investm… | $251M | 9.9% | 50.3% | 1 | Sustainable |
 RWTRedwood Trust, Inc. | $696M | 13.6% | — | 1 | Unknown |
3rd  EARNEllington Credit Com… | $180M | 17.1% | 3.4% | 0 | Sustainable |
 PMTPennyMac Mortgage In… | $1.1B | 13.2% | 1.1% | 0 | Sustainable |
1st  IVRInvesco Mortgage Cap… | $577M | 20.1% | 1.1% | 0 | Sustainable |
MFA Annual Dividend History (1998–2026)
29 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.36 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2.4% |
| 2025 | $1.44 | 2.9% | 4 | $1.68 | 85.7% | 1.17x | 9.6% |
| 2024 | $1.40 | 0.0% | 4 | $0.82 | 170.7% | 0.59x | 9.3% |
| 2023 | $1.40 | -16.2% | 4 | $0.46 | 304.3% | 0.33x | 9.3% |
| 2022 | $1.67 | 8.4% | 4 | $-2.40 | — | — | 11.1% |
| 2021 | $1.54 | 18.5% | 4 | $2.63 | 58.6% | 1.71x | 10.2% |
| 2020 | $1.30 | -59.4% | 3 | $-6.01 | — | — | 8.6% |
| 2019 | $3.20 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.17 | 100.9% | 0.99x | 21.3% |
| 2018 | $3.20 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.86 | 111.9% | 0.89x | 21.3% |
| 2017 | $3.20 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.16 | 101.3% | 0.99x | 21.3% |
See MFA's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonMFA — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying MFA stock.
How much dividend does MFA pay per share?
MFA Financial, Inc. (MFA) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.79 per share, with a current dividend yield of +18.7%. Payments are made Annual.
When is MFA's next ex-dividend date?
MFA's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. MFA typically pays dividends Annual.
Is MFA's dividend safe?
MFA's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +1.1% and FCF payout ratio of +112.9%. The 1-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
How many years has MFA increased its dividend?
MFA has 1 consecutive years of dividend growth. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +2.1%.
How often does MFA pay dividends?
MFA Financial, Inc. pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.79 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 28+ years from 1998 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in MFA grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in MFA five years ago would be worth approximately $9,671 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is MFA's yield on cost for long-term holders?
MFA's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +9.6% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +18.7% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.