Trailing Dividend / Share
$3.61
National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) Dividend History
Income profile from 1991 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
4.9%
Payout Ratio
1.2%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
1 years
NHI Dividend Income Check
Safety
1.2% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
1 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 5.5% and trend is falling.
NHI Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield4.9%
Trailing DPS$3.61
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout1.2%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout76.3%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score6/9
Growth
Growth Streak1 years
3Y CAGR0.4%
5Y CAGR-3.8%
Yield on Cost (5Y)5.5%
YOC Trendfalling
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.0%
Total Shareholder Yield4.9%
1Y Total Return0.9%
5Y Total Return30.0%
Div Contribution (5Y)25.8%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$12,99910Y ago$15,91820Y ago$57,218
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.
NHI Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (36 years of payments)
NHI Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
National Health Investors, Inc. distributes 1.2% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 76.3%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 6/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
NHI has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive year, with a 3-year CAGR of 0.4% and 5-year CAGR of -3.8%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, NHI returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 4.9% dividend yield, 4.9% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 5.5% and is currently falling. The 5-year total return is 30.0%, with dividends contributing 25.8% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $15,918 today.
FCF payout is stretched — the dividend consumes a large share of free cash flow.
NHI Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$18.06
Avg/Payment$0.9030
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2026Latest | $0.9200 | — | 4.53% | May 1, 2026 |
| Dec 31, 2025 | $0.9200 | — | 4.77% | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Sep 30, 2025 | $0.9200 | ↑ +2.2% | 4.55% | Oct 31, 2025 |
| Jun 30, 2025 | $0.9000 | — | 5.13% | Aug 1, 2025 |
| Mar 31, 2025 | $0.9000 | — | 4.87% | May 2, 2025 |
| Dec 31, 2024 | $0.9000 | — | 5.19% | Jan 29, 2025 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | $0.9000 | — | 4.34% | Nov 1, 2024 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | $0.9000 | — | 5.32% | Aug 2, 2024 |
NHI Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#5 yield in peer group
Div Yield
4.9%
#5 of 8
Safety
Sustainable
1.2% payout
Streak
1Y
-3.8% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
4.9%
#5 of 8
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHINational Health Inve… | $3.5B | 4.9% | 1.2% | 1 | Sustainable |
 OHIOmega Healthcare Inv… | $13.7B | 5.4% | 1.3% | 0 | Sustainable |
2nd  SBRASabra Health Care RE… | $5.1B | 5.8% | 1.9% | 0 | Sustainable |
 CTRECareTrust REIT, Inc. | $8.8B | 3.2% | — | 2 | Unknown |
1st  GMREGlobal Medical REIT … | $94M | 63.5% | 9.0% | 5 | Sustainable |
 VTRVentas, Inc. | $41.3B | 2.1% | 3.4% | 1 | Sustainable |
 WELLWelltower Inc. | $150.1B | 1.3% | 2.0% | 2 | Sustainable |
3rd  HRHealthcare Realty Tr… | $6.9B | 5.6% | — | 0 | Unknown |
NHI Annual Dividend History (1991–2026)
36 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.92 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1.4% |
| 2025 | $3.64 | 1.1% | 4 | $3.02 | 120.5% | 0.83x | 5.5% |
| 2024 | $3.60 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.13 | 115.0% | 0.87x | 5.4% |
| 2023 | $3.60 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.13 | 115.0% | 0.87x | 5.4% |
| 2022 | $3.60 | -5.3% | 4 | $0.51 | 705.9% | 0.14x | 5.4% |
| 2021 | $3.80 | -13.8% | 4 | $1.36 | 279.6% | 0.36x | 5.7% |
| 2020 | $4.41 | 5.0% | 4 | $3.03 | 145.5% | 0.69x | 6.6% |
| 2019 | $4.20 | 5.0% | 4 | $2.38 | 176.5% | 0.57x | 6.3% |
| 2018 | $4.00 | 5.3% | 4 | $3.67 | 109.0% | 0.92x | 6.0% |
| 2017 | $3.80 | 5.6% | 4 | $3.87 | 98.2% | 1.02x | 5.7% |
See NHI's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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View ValuationCompare NHI vs WELL
Side-by-side business, growth, and profitability comparison vs Welltower Inc..
Start ComparisonNHI — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying NHI stock.
How much dividend does NHI pay per share?
National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $3.61 per share, with a current dividend yield of +4.9%. Payments are made Annual.
When is NHI's next ex-dividend date?
NHI's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. NHI typically pays dividends Annual.
Is NHI's dividend safe?
NHI's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +1.2% and FCF payout ratio of +76.3%. The 1-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
How many years has NHI increased its dividend?
NHI has 1 consecutive years of dividend growth. The 5-year dividend CAGR is -3.8%.
How often does NHI pay dividends?
National Health Investors, Inc. pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $3.61 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 35+ years from 1991 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in NHI grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in NHI five years ago would be worth approximately $12,999 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is NHI's yield on cost for long-term holders?
NHI's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +5.5% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +4.9% market yield, thanks to the lower original cost basis.