Current Yield
0.61%
TTM Dividend/Share
$6.04
Payment Frequency
Quarterly
Payout Ratio
30.0%
Consecutive Growth Years
13 (Dividend Contender)
Key takeaways
- Dividend Contender — Caterpillar (CAT) has raised its dividend for 13 consecutive years.
- Caterpillar (CAT) currently yields 0.61%, paying $6.04 per share over the trailing twelve months, distributed quarterly.
- Payout ratio is 30.0% — the share of earnings distributed as dividends.
- 8 of 8 dividend safety checks passed.
- 5-year dividend CAGR of 7.23% (growth is accelerating).
Dividend yield valuation for Caterpillar (CAT)
Current dividend yield vs its own 1Y / 3Y / 5Y historical averages — a rough valuation signal.
Valuation zone | Below average — potentially overvalued |
Current yield (now) | 0.61% |
1-year average yield | 1.03%now 0.42 pp below |
3-year average yield | 1.41%now 0.80 pp below |
5-year average yield | 1.65%now 1.04 pp below |
CAT: a yield above its history can signal value (or risk); below can signal a rich price. One valuation signal among many — review fundamentals before investing.
Dividend health for Caterpillar (CAT)
Cash-flow, leverage and returns metrics that signal whether the dividend is well-covered and sustainable.
Chowder score | 7.8% |
FCF payout ratio | 6.2% |
Net debt / EBITDA | 2.4x |
Interest coverage | 8.31x |
ROIC (TTM) | 16.9% |
Dividend safety score for Caterpillar (CAT)
Checks covering payout coverage, free-cash-flow support, leverage and dividend-growth durability.
8 of 8 checks passed
Payout ratio below 75%
Payout ratio is 30.0%, well below the 75% threshold.
Free cash flow covers dividend
TTM FCF after dividends is $8.7B — FCF fully covers the payout.
No dividend cuts in 10+ years
No dividend cuts in the last 10 years.
Positive earnings growth trend
Earnings per share have grown over the past 5 years.
10+ years of consecutive growth
13 consecutive years of dividend growth.
FCF payout ratio below 70%
FCF payout ratio is 6.2%, below the 70% threshold.
Net Debt/EBITDA below 3x
Net Debt/EBITDA is 2.4x.
Dividend growth ≤ earnings growth (5Y)
Dividend growth (7.2%) ≤ EPS growth (17.9%) — sustainable.
This analysis is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Safety scores and comparisons reflect historical data and do not predict future performance.
Per-payment dividend history
179 payments from 1982 to 2026 · Adj. Dividend is split-adjusted
| Jul 20, 2026 | Aug 19, 2026 | $1.6300 | $1.6300 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | May 19, 2026 | $1.5100 | $1.5100 |
| Jan 20, 2026 | Feb 19, 2026 | $1.5100 | $1.5100 |
| Oct 20, 2025 | Nov 20, 2025 | $1.5100 | $1.5100 |
| Jul 21, 2025 | Aug 20, 2025 | $1.5100 | $1.5100 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | May 20, 2025 | $1.4100 | $1.4100 |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Feb 20, 2025 | $1.4100 | $1.4100 |
| Oct 21, 2024 | Nov 20, 2024 | $1.4100 | $1.4100 |
| Jul 22, 2024 | Aug 20, 2024 | $1.4100 | $1.4100 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | May 20, 2024 | $1.3000 | $1.3000 |
| Jan 19, 2024 | Feb 20, 2024 | $1.3000 | $1.3000 |
| Oct 20, 2023 | Nov 20, 2023 | $1.3000 | $1.3000 |
- Jul 20, 2026$1.6300
- Apr 20, 2026$1.5100
- Jan 20, 2026$1.5100
- Oct 20, 2025$1.5100
- Jul 21, 2025$1.5100
- Apr 21, 2025$1.4100
- Jan 21, 2025$1.4100
- Oct 21, 2024$1.4100
- Jul 22, 2024$1.4100
- Apr 19, 2024$1.3000
- Jan 19, 2024$1.3000
- Oct 20, 2023$1.3000
Historical dividend yield for Caterpillar (CAT)
Mean trailing dividend yield using one ratio snapshot per calendar year.Mean yield1Y: 1.03%5Y: 1.65%10Y: 2.09%
Dividend per share for Caterpillar (CAT)
CAGR (per year)1Y: 7.75%5Y: 7.23%10Y: 7.10%↑ Accelerating
| Year | Total ($/share) | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | $0.30 | 4 |
| 1983 | $0.19 | 4 |
| 1984 | $0.16 | 4 |
| 1985 | $0.06 | 4 |
| 1986 | $0.06 | 4 |
| 1987 | $0.06 | 4 |
| 1988 | $0.09 | 4 |
| 1989 | $0.15 | 4 |
| 1990 | $0.15 | 4 |
| 1991 | $0.15 | 4 |
| 1992 | $0.07 | 4 |
| 1993 | $0.07 | 4 |
| 1994 | $0.11 | 4 |
| 1995 | $0.30 | 4 |
| 1996 | $0.38 | 4 |
| 1997 | $0.45 | 4 |
| 1998 | $0.55 | 4 |
| 1999 | $0.63 | 4 |
| 2000 | $0.67 | 4 |
| 2001 | $0.69 | 4 |
| 2002 | $0.70 | 4 |
| 2003 | $0.71 | 4 |
| 2004 | $0.78 | 4 |
| 2005 | $0.91 | 4 |
| 2006 | $1.10 | 4 |
| 2007 | $1.32 | 4 |
| 2008 | $1.56 | 4 |
| 2009 | $1.68 | 4 |
| 2010 | $1.72 | 4 |
| 2011 | $1.80 | 4 |
| 2012 | $2.48 | 5 |
| 2013 | $1.72 | 3 |
| 2014 | $2.60 | 4 |
| 2015 | $2.94 | 4 |
| 2016 | $3.08 | 4 |
| 2017 | $3.10 | 4 |
| 2018 | $3.28 | 4 |
| 2019 | $3.78 | 4 |
| 2020 | $4.12 | 4 |
| 2021 | $4.28 | 4 |
| 2022 | $4.62 | 4 |
| 2023 | $5.00 | 4 |
| 2024 | $5.42 | 4 |
| 2025 | $5.84 | 4 |
| 2026 | $4.65 | 3 |
Dividend growth for Caterpillar (CAT)
Year-over-year change in total annual dividend per share (split-adjusted, by ex-dividend year). Green is an increase, red a cut.
Dividend Increase Track Record
Year-over-year change in total annual DPS (dividends per share, split-adjusted), based on ex-dividend date.
| 2026 | $5.8400 | — | — |
| 2025 | $5.4200 | $5.8400 | +7.7% |
| 2024 | $5.0000 | $5.4200 | +8.4% |
| 2023 | $4.6200 | $5.0000 | +8.2% |
| 2022 | $4.2800 | $4.6200 | +7.9% |
| 2021 | $4.1200 | $4.2800 | +3.9% |
| 2020 | $3.7800 | $4.1200 | +9.0% |
| 2019 | $3.2800 | $3.7800 | +15.2% |
| 2018 | $3.1000 | $3.2800 | +5.8% |
| 2017 | $3.0800 | $3.1000 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | $2.9400 | $3.0800 | +4.8% |
| 2015 | $2.6000 | $2.9400 | +13.1% |
| 2014 | $1.7200 | $2.6000 | +51.2% |
| 2013 | $2.4800 | $1.7200 | -30.6% |
| 2012 | $1.8000 | $2.4800 | +37.8% |
| 2011 | $1.7200 | $1.8000 | +4.7% |
| 2010 | $1.6800 | $1.7200 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | $1.5600 | $1.6800 | +7.7% |
| 2008 | $1.3200 | $1.5600 | +18.2% |
| 2007 | $1.1000 | $1.3200 | +20.0% |
| 2006 | $0.9100 | $1.1000 | +20.9% |
| 2005 | $0.7800 | $0.9100 | +16.7% |
| 2004 | $0.7100 | $0.7800 | +9.9% |
| 2003 | $0.7000 | $0.7100 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | $0.6900 | $0.7000 | +1.4% |
| 2001 | $0.6650 | $0.6900 | +3.8% |
| 2000 | $0.6250 | $0.6650 | +6.4% |
| 1999 | $0.5500 | $0.6250 | +13.6% |
| 1998 | $0.4500 | $0.5500 | +22.2% |
| 1997 | $0.3750 | $0.4500 | +20.0% |
| 1996 | $0.3000 | $0.3750 | +25.0% |
| 1995 | $0.1125 | $0.3000 | +166.7% |
| 1994 | $0.0750 | $0.1125 | +50.0% |
| 1993 | $0.0750 | $0.0750 | 0.0% |
| 1992 | $0.1500 | $0.0750 | -50.0% |
| 1991 | $0.1500 | $0.1500 | 0.0% |
| 1990 | $0.1500 | $0.1500 | 0.0% |
| 1989 | $0.0943 | $0.1500 | +59.2% |
| 1988 | $0.0625 | $0.0943 | +50.8% |
| 1987 | $0.0625 | $0.0625 | 0.0% |
| 1986 | $0.0625 | $0.0625 | 0.0% |
| 1985 | $0.1563 | $0.0625 | -60.0% |
| 1984 | $0.1875 | $0.1563 | -16.7% |
| 1983 | $0.3000 | $0.1875 | -37.5% |
| 1982 | — | $0.3000 | — |
- 2026—
- 2025$5.8400
- 2024$5.4200
- 2023$5.0000
- 2022$4.6200
- 2021$4.2800
- 2020$4.1200
- 2019$3.7800
- 2018$3.2800
- 2017$3.1000
- 2016$3.0800
- 2015$2.9400
- 2014$2.6000
- 2013$1.7200
- 2012$2.4800
- 2011$1.8000
- 2010$1.7200
- 2009$1.6800
- 2008$1.5600
- 2007$1.3200
- 2006$1.1000
- 2005$0.9100
- 2004$0.7800
- 2003$0.7100
- 2002$0.7000
- 2001$0.6900
- 2000$0.6650
- 1999$0.6250
- 1998$0.5500
- 1997$0.4500
- 1996$0.3750
- 1995$0.3000
- 1994$0.1125
- 1993$0.0750
- 1992$0.0750
- 1991$0.1500
- 1990$0.1500
- 1989$0.1500
- 1988$0.0943
- 1987$0.0625
- 1986$0.0625
- 1985$0.0625
- 1984$0.1563
- 1983$0.1875
- 1982$0.3000
DPS sums split-adjusted amounts (adj. dividend) by ex-dividend calendar year—the same basis as the Adj. Dividend column in Dividend Payment History. The Dividend column can differ after stock splits. This table uses four decimals per annual total so the Change column matches the shown amounts; each payment row in Dividend Payment History also uses four.
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