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Data last updated: Sep 01, 2026
Snapshot (as of Sep 01, 2026): British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI) pays a $2.43 annual dividend ($0.61 quarterly), yielding 5.88% at $55.57/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-12-29. Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 5.88%
Annual Dividend: $2.43 per share
Payout Ratio: 81.7%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-12-29
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Consumer Defensive
Years of Dividend History: 40
British American Tobacco p.l.c. dividend stands at $2.4264 per share annually, paid quarterly, making BTI one of the higher-yielding names in the Consumer Defensive sector. The company sells tobacco and nicotine products across more than a dozen markets worldwide, with brands including Camel Snus, Lucky Strike, Newport, and Vuse vapor products. At a 5.88% yield, the income on offer is well above what most dividend stocks deliver. With a beta of 0.128, BTI stock moves very little relative to the broader market, which suits income investors who prioritize low volatility over price appreciation.
British American Tobacco p.l.c. pays out 81.7% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as high (above 75%). That level is supported by demand across a broad product portfolio spanning combustibles, vapor, heated products, and modern oral nicotine, sold through retail outlets in markets across the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. British American Tobacco p.l.c. dividend safety faces pressure from that elevated payout ratio, which leaves limited room to absorb earnings declines without affecting the dividend.
British American Tobacco p.l.c. dividend history shows a CAGR of 3.2% per year from 2011 to 2025. The per-share dividend grew from $1.9260 to $2.9960 over that period (2026 data is partial and excluded from the CAGR calculation). The largest annual increase in the window was 31.3% in 2017, but the history also contains at least one year-over-year decline exceeding 5%, so growth has not been linear. For income investors, 3.2% annual growth is slow, and that limits how quickly the yield on cost compounds over time.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +0.4% | $2.96 (2022) | $3.00 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +2.0% | $2.71 (2020) | $3.00 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +2.6% | $2.33 (2015) | $3.00 (2025) |
British American Tobacco p.l.c. fits income-focused investors who want a high current yield and can accept a payout ratio that leaves little margin for error. The yield classification is high (above 4%), and at 5.88% it sits above the 5-year average of 5.21%, meaning the current entry point delivers more income than the historical norm. Dividend growth has averaged 3.2% per year, which is modest. What an investor gets here is a large, immediate income stream from a globally distributed nicotine and tobacco business. The trade-off is a payout ratio of 81.7% and a dividend history that includes past declines, so the income comes with real sensitivity to earnings pressure.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-12-29 | $0.8348 |
| 2026-10-02 | $0.8348 |
| 2026-07-10 | $0.8348 |
| 2026-03-27 | $0.8350 |
| 2025-12-30 | $0.7490 |
| 2025-10-03 | $0.7490 |
| 2025-06-27 | $0.7490 |
| 2025-03-28 | $0.7490 |
| 2024-12-20 | $0.7430 |
| 2024-09-27 | $0.7430 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $3.3394 |
| 2025 | $2.9960 |
| 2024 | $2.9720 |
| 2023 | $2.8040 |
| 2022 | $2.9600 |
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