AT&T Inc. (T) Dividend History
Income profile from 1984 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
T Dividend Income Check
Safety
37.4% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
2 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 5.0% and trend is falling.
T Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Payout Safety
Growth
Total Returns
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.
T Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (43 years of payments)
T Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
AT&T Inc. distributes 37.4% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 75.3%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
T has raised its dividend for 2 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of -6.4% and 5-year CAGR of -11.8%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, T returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 4.4% dividend yield, 2.5% buyback yield, 6.9% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 5.0% and is currently falling. The 5-year total return is 33.2%, with dividends contributing 26.0% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $14,461 today.
T Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2026Latest | $0.2780 | ↑ +0.2% | 4.20% | May 1, 2026 |
| Jan 12, 2026 | $0.2775 | — | 4.68% | Feb 2, 2026 |
| Oct 10, 2025 | $0.2775 | — | 4.29% | Nov 3, 2025 |
| Jul 10, 2025 | $0.2775 | — | 4.02% | Aug 1, 2025 |
| Apr 10, 2025 | $0.2775 | — | 4.21% | May 1, 2025 |
| Jan 10, 2025 | $0.2775 | — | 5.12% | Feb 3, 2025 |
| Oct 10, 2024 | $0.2775 | — | 5.23% | Nov 1, 2024 |
| Jul 10, 2024 | $0.2775 | — | 5.92% | Aug 1, 2024 |
T Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $181.1B | 4.4% | 37.4% | 2 | Sustainable | |
1st | $199.7B | 5.7% | 66.9% | 11 | Watch |
| $210.3B | 1.9% | 37.5% | 3 | Sustainable | |
| $9.5B | 0.0% | — | 0 | Unknown | |
2nd | $96.4B | 5.1% | 24.7% | 18 | Sustainable |
3rd | $359M | 4.8% | — | 0 | Unknown |
| $4.2T | 0.4% | 13.8% | 14 | Sustainable |
T Annual Dividend History (1984–2026)
43 years of dividend data
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.56 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2.5% |
| 2025 | $1.11 | 0.0% | 4 | $3.04 | 36.5% | 2.74x | 5.0% |
| 2024 | $1.11 | 0.0% | 4 | $1.49 | 74.5% | 1.34x | 5.0% |
| 2023 | $1.11 | -17.9% | 4 | $1.97 | 56.3% | 1.77x | 5.0% |
| 2022 | $1.35 | -35.0% | 4 | $-1.13 | — | — | 6.1% |
| 2021 | $2.08 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.73 | 76.2% | 1.31x | 9.4% |
| 2020 | $2.08 | 2.0% | 4 | $-0.75 | — | — | 9.4% |
| 2019 | $2.04 | 2.0% | 4 | $1.89 | 107.9% | 0.93x | 9.2% |
| 2018 | $2.00 | 2.0% | 4 | $2.85 | 70.2% | 1.43x | 9.0% |
| 2017 | $1.96 | 2.1% | 4 | $4.76 | 41.2% | 2.43x | 8.8% |
Full T Stock Analysis
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See T's True Return
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Start ComparisonT — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying T stock.
How much dividend does T pay per share?
AT&T Inc. (T) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.14 per share, with a current dividend yield of +4.4%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is T's next ex-dividend date?
T's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. T typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is T's dividend safe?
T's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +37.4% and FCF payout ratio of +75.3%. The 2-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
How many years has T increased its dividend?
T has 2 consecutive years of dividend growth. The 5-year dividend CAGR is -11.8%.
How often does T pay dividends?
AT&T Inc. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $1.14 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 42+ years from 1984 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in T grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in T five years ago would be worth approximately $13,319 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is T's yield on cost for long-term holders?
T's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +5.0% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +4.4% market yield, thanks to the lower original cost basis.