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Data last updated: Sep 01, 2026
Snapshot (as of Sep 01, 2026): Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) pays a $2.05 annual dividend ($0.52 quarterly), yielding 0.86% at $239.22/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-10-01. Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 0.86%
Annual Dividend: $2.05 per share
Payout Ratio: 28.6%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-10-01
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Healthcare
Years of Dividend History: 41
Cardinal Health, Inc. dividend reflects a healthcare distribution giant that moves branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceuticals alongside surgical and medical supplies to hospitals, pharmacies, and outpatient centers across the globe. CAH currently pays $2.0479 per share annually, with dividends delivered quarterly and the next ex-dividend date set for October 1, 2026. The current yield stands at 0.87%. With a beta of 0.521, CAH stock moves well below the broader market, making it a fit for income investors who prioritize low volatility over yield size.
Cardinal Health, Inc. pays out 28.6% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as conservative (below 40%). That low payout leaves substantial room to sustain payments even if earnings face pressure, and the company's role as a distributor of essential pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, products hospitals and pharmacies cannot defer, supports ongoing demand for its services. The most significant data-supported pressure on Cardinal Health, Inc. dividend safety is the historical record: the dividend per share has declined from $10.4150 in 2009 to $2.0326 in 2025, a trajectory that reflects past restructuring rather than current fragility, but one income investors should not ignore.
Cardinal Health, Inc. dividend history shows a CAGR of -9.7% per year from 2009 to 2025. Per-share payments moved from $10.4150 down to $2.0326 over that window (with 2026 partial at $2.0530 so far). The largest annual increase in the window was 22.5% in 2013, but the data block also flags at least one year-over-year decline exceeding 5%, which explains the deeply negative long-run CAGR. Growth is slow at best and negative across the full measured period.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +0.9% | $1.98 (2022) | $2.03 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +0.9% | $1.94 (2020) | $2.03 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +3.1% | $1.50 (2015) | $2.03 (2025) |
CAH stock fits dividend investors who want low volatility and a covered payout rather than a high income stream. The yield is low (below 2%), currently at 0.87%, which sits modestly above the 5-year average of 0.81% but still well short of what income-focused portfolios typically require. The payout ratio of 28.6% means the dividend is not under pressure from earnings, and the company's essential role in pharmaceutical and medical supply distribution provides a demand floor for its business. The trade-off is clear: an investor gets a well-covered, low-volatility dividend with only one consecutive year of increases and a long-run per-share growth rate that has been negative.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | $0.5158 |
| 2026-07-01 | $0.5158 |
| 2026-04-01 | $0.5107 |
| 2026-01-02 | $0.5107 |
| 2025-10-01 | $0.5107 |
| 2025-07-01 | $0.5107 |
| 2025-04-01 | $0.5056 |
| 2025-01-02 | $0.5056 |
| 2024-10-01 | $0.5056 |
| 2024-07-01 | $0.5056 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $2.0530 |
| 2025 | $2.0326 |
| 2024 | $1.5118 |
| 2023 | $1.9975 |
| 2022 | $1.9787 |
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