FirstEnergy (FE) Dividend Capture: 0.99% per event (3.9% annualized)
FirstEnergy (FE) has touched its pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 100% of the last 20 ex-dividend events, with a median time-to-touch of 2 trading days (limit-order recovery basis). The dividend is below the typical daily price swing (signal-to-noise 0.55), meaning ordinary day-to-day noise can easily exceed the dividend itself.
Versus its sector, FE sits roughly in line with the Utilities sector benchmark of 95%. The sector median time-to-touch is 1 trading day, so this ticker touches more slowly than peers.
Historical base rates are not predictions; transaction costs, slippage, and ordinary-income tax on short holding periods can materially reduce realized profit. The next confirmed ex-dividend date is May 7, 2026, with an expected dividend of $0.47.
- Touch rate (30d)
- 100%+5pp vs sector
- Median days-to-touch
- 2d+1.0d vs sector
- Signal-to-noise
- 0.55+0.10 vs sector
Recovery engine
TL;DR over the most recent 20 events.
- 30-day touch rate
- 100%+5pp vs sector
- Median days-to-touch
- 2d+1.0d vs sector
- Signal-to-noise (div / ATR)
- 0.55+0.10 vs sector
- Avg gap on ex-date
- -0.91%-0.20pp vs sector
- Win rate at MOC exit
- 70%
- Median drawdown during hold
- -2.65%+1.12pp vs sector
- Best / worst touch (days)
- 1 / 19
Next ex-dividend
Confirmed by company declaration.
- Dividend
- $0.47
- Per-event yield
- 0.99%
- Annualized yield
- 3.92%
- Previously paid
- Feb 6, 2026 ($0.45)
- Last record date
- Feb 6, 2026
- Last payment date
- Mar 1, 2026
How FE ranks in Utilities
Compared with other stocks in this sector that pass our capture-quality filter (45 tickers). Lower rank number is better on every metric below.
- 30-day touch rate#1of 45
Beats ~98% of peers on this metric
- Median days to touch#34of 45
Beats ~24% of peers on this metric
- Signal-to-noise#11of 45
Beats ~76% of peers on this metric
FE Dividend Capture History — Last 20 Ex-Dividend Events
Per-event gap on ex-date, the pre-ex close used as the touch target, trading days to first intraday high at or above that level, plus 5/30-day touch flags, drawdown and 5-day P&L for FirstEnergy (FE). For a stricter close-at-bell exit timeline, use the simulator below (MOC mode). td = trading days from ex-date.
| Recovered 5d | Recovered 30d | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | $0.45 | -0.62% | $46.99 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.45% | +7.57% | |
| Q4 | $0.45 | -0.85% | $45.87 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.61% | +1.12% | |
| Q3 | $0.45 | -1.20% | $43.44 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.63% | +1.53% | |
| Q2 | $0.45 | -1.07% | $43.17 | 1 | yes | yes | -5.91% | -3.67% | |
| Q1 | $0.42 | -1.12% | $40.13 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.89% | +0.74% | |
| Q4 | $0.42 | -0.72% | $41.58 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.21% | -0.78% | |
| Q3 | $0.42 | -0.71% | $42.14 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.68% | +1.34% | |
| Q2 | $0.42 | -0.64% | $39.24 | 2 | yes | yes | -1.55% | +2.23% | |
| Q1 | $0.41 | -1.30% | $36.22 | 4 | yes | yes | -2.24% | +3.15% | |
| Q4 | $0.41 | -1.00% | $36.82 | 8 | no | yes | -5.16% | -3.50% | |
| Q3 | $0.39 | -0.54% | $37.17 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.87% | +0.24% | |
| Q2 | $0.39 | -0.77% | $38.93 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.06% | +2.18% | |
| Q1 | $0.39 | -1.29% | $39.52 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.87% | +3.19% | |
| Q4 | $0.39 | -0.39% | $38.21 | 5 | yes | yes | -3.98% | +0.37% | |
| Q3 | $0.39 | -0.96% | $39.40 | 5 | yes | yes | -3.50% | +2.69% | |
| Q2 | $0.39 | -1.10% | $43.65 | 16 | no | yes | -5.02% | -2.41% | |
| Q1 | $0.39 | -1.50% | $42.60 | 19 | no | yes | -7.37% | -1.53% | |
| Q4 | $0.39 | -1.04% | $39.25 | 2 | yes | yes | -3.46% | +0.43% | |
| Q3 | $0.39 | -0.68% | $38.04 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.10% | +1.74% | |
| Q2 | $0.39 | -0.61% | $37.88 | 3 | yes | yes | -4.01% | -0.03% |
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.45
- Gap %
- -0.62%
- Pre-ex close
- $46.99
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.45%
- P&L 5d %
- +7.57%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.45
- Gap %
- -0.85%
- Pre-ex close
- $45.87
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.61%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.12%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.45
- Gap %
- -1.20%
- Pre-ex close
- $43.44
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.63%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.53%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.45
- Gap %
- -1.07%
- Pre-ex close
- $43.17
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -5.91%
- P&L 5d %
- -3.67%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.42
- Gap %
- -1.12%
- Pre-ex close
- $40.13
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.89%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.74%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.42
- Gap %
- -0.72%
- Pre-ex close
- $41.58
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.21%
- P&L 5d %
- -0.78%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.42
- Gap %
- -0.71%
- Pre-ex close
- $42.14
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.68%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.34%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.42
- Gap %
- -0.64%
- Pre-ex close
- $39.24
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.55%
- P&L 5d %
- +2.23%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.41
- Gap %
- -1.30%
- Pre-ex close
- $36.22
- High touch (td)
- 4
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.24%
- P&L 5d %
- +3.15%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.41
- Gap %
- -1.00%
- Pre-ex close
- $36.82
- High touch (td)
- 8
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -5.16%
- P&L 5d %
- -3.50%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.54%
- Pre-ex close
- $37.17
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.87%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.24%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.77%
- Pre-ex close
- $38.93
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.06%
- P&L 5d %
- +2.18%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -1.29%
- Pre-ex close
- $39.52
- High touch (td)
- 1
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -1.87%
- P&L 5d %
- +3.19%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.39%
- Pre-ex close
- $38.21
- High touch (td)
- 5
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.98%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.37%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.96%
- Pre-ex close
- $39.40
- High touch (td)
- 5
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.50%
- P&L 5d %
- +2.69%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -1.10%
- Pre-ex close
- $43.65
- High touch (td)
- 16
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -5.02%
- P&L 5d %
- -2.41%
Q1
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -1.50%
- Pre-ex close
- $42.60
- High touch (td)
- 19
- Recovered 5d
- no
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -7.37%
- P&L 5d %
- -1.53%
Q4
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -1.04%
- Pre-ex close
- $39.25
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -3.46%
- P&L 5d %
- +0.43%
Q3
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.68%
- Pre-ex close
- $38.04
- High touch (td)
- 2
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -2.10%
- P&L 5d %
- +1.74%
Q2
- Dividend
- $0.39
- Gap %
- -0.61%
- Pre-ex close
- $37.88
- High touch (td)
- 3
- Recovered 5d
- yes
- Recovered 30d
- yes
- Drawdown
- -4.01%
- P&L 5d %
- -0.03%
FE Pre-Ex Touch Time Distribution
- ≤ 1 day945%
- 2–3 days525%
- 4–5 days315%
- 6–10 days15%
- 11–30 days210%
- 30+00%
45% within 1d · 85% within 5d · 100% within 30d
FE Dividend Capture Calculator — After-Tax Yield
Pre-filled with FE's next expected dividend and recent close. Adjust tax rate, holding period and slippage to estimate after-tax capture yield.
Holding shorter than the IRS 61-day rule disqualifies the dividend from “qualified” status — it is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate. Adjust Tax % accordingly.
- Gross dividend
- $94.00
- After-tax dividend
- $61.10
- Slippage round-trip
- -$9.40
- Net if price returns to pre-ex
- +$51.70
- Required recovery to break even
- 0.00%
- Per-event after-tax yield
- +0.55%
- Annual if all succeed
- ~27.7%
FE Dividend Capture Backtest Simulator
Replay every historical FE ex-dividend with two exit strategies: a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close (limit-order P&L on first intraday touch), or hold for N days and exit at MOC. Pick the window and quarter filter that matches your plan and see realized P&L per event.
Sell back at the pre-ex close on the first intraday touch within the window. If it never touches, exit at MOC after the window expires (stop-loss).
Figures are gross — before tax, commissions, and slippage. Percents are per-event return on capital at entry (pre-ex close).
Cumulative P&L (equity curve)
Vertical axis: cumulative sum of per-event % (same units as the headline cumulative). Hover dots for exact values.
Per-event P&L distribution
20 trades in this sample · bar height ∝ count in each bucket (gross % per event).
Scenario P&L by event · FE (20)
Scenario P&L — updates with exit mode, window, and quarter. History adds gap, touch, drawdown, and a fixed P&L 5d % (MOC). Same per-row % as that column only for MOC + 5d on the same rows. Oldest → newest, gross pre-ex close basis.
| Ex-date | P&L |
|---|---|
| +1.03% | |
| +1.03% | |
| +0.99% | |
| -1.53% | |
| -2.41% | |
| +0.99% | |
| +1.02% | |
| +0.99% | |
| +1.00% | |
| +1.05% | |
| -3.50% | |
| +1.13% | |
| +1.08% | |
| +1.01% | |
| +1.02% | |
| +1.06% | |
| +1.03% | |
| +1.02% | |
| +0.97% | |
| +0.95% |
Looking for full price seasonality? See FE seasonality →
Frequently asked questions
What is the dividend capture success rate for FE?
Across the last 20 ex-dividend events for FirstEnergy (FE), the post-ex intraday high reached the pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 100% of cases, with a median time-to-touch of 2 trading days. We measure recovery via intraday high because that is when a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close would actually fill, ending the trade at break-even with the dividend pocketed.
How long does it take FE to recover its dividend gap?
Historically, FE touches its pre-ex close in a median of 2 trading days, with the best case at 1 and the worst case at 19 trading days within our 30-day measurement window. A stricter close-based recovery (mark-to-MOC) is also computed in the database; explore it with the per-ticker simulator’s “Hold N days, exit MOC” mode rather than in the event table.
Is the dividend on FE large enough to capture?
FE has a signal-to-noise ratio of 0.55 (dividend / 14-day ATR). Values above 1.0 indicate the dividend is larger than the typical daily price swing, making capture trades more viable; below 0.5 means typical daily noise can easily wipe out the gain.
When is the next ex-dividend date for FE?
The next ex-dividend date for FirstEnergy (FE) is May 7, 2026, confirmed (declared by the company).
How does FE compare to its sector for dividend capture?
Within Utilities, the median 30-day pre-ex touch rate is 95%. FE sits at 100% — above the sector benchmark.
Why does FE dividend capture measure recovery via intraday high, not close?
A realistic capture trade exits via a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close: the moment the post-ex intraday high touches that level, the order fills and the trader pockets the dividend at break-even. Measuring recovery via close is stricter (mark-to-MOC); we expose that path in the per-ticker simulator as the "Hold N days, exit MOC" mode. The high-based primary metric directly answers the trader-facing question "would my limit have filled?" — close-based answers "would I have been flat at the bell?".
How are dividend capture trades taxed in the US?
Holding period matters. Dividends are "qualified" (taxed at the long-term capital gains rate, 0/15/20%) only when the underlying shares are held for more than 60 days during the 121-day window centered on the ex-dividend date. Dividend capture trades typically hold less than 61 days, so the dividend is taxed at your ordinary income bracket. Always consult a qualified tax advisor.
What are the main risks of a dividend capture strategy?
Three structural risks: (1) the share price may not recover the gap within your holding window; (2) ordinary-income tax can consume the after-tax yield; (3) transaction costs and bid/ask slippage can wipe out small dividends. Historical statistics measure base rates; they do not guarantee any single trade will work.