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Data last updated: Jul 06, 2026
Dividend Yield: 0.63%
Annual Dividend: $6.04 per share
Payout Ratio: 29.5%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-07-20
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Industrials
Years of Dividend History: 53
Caterpillar Inc. dividend investors are buying into one of the world's largest manufacturers of heavy construction and mining equipment, with products spanning excavators, mining trucks, and diesel power systems. CAT currently pays $6.04 per share annually, with dividends paid quarterly and the next ex-dividend date set for July 20, 2026. The current yield sits at 0.61%. With a beta of 1.603, this is a cyclically sensitive industrial stock, better suited to investors focused on dividend growth than those seeking immediate income.
Caterpillar Inc. pays out 29.5% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as conservative (below 40%). That low retention of earnings means CAT has substantial room to maintain its dividend even if earnings soften, which matters given the company's exposure to cyclical end markets like construction and mining. Caterpillar Inc. dividend safety faces its clearest test during downturns in capital spending by mining and infrastructure customers, since demand for heavy equipment is tied directly to those investment cycles.
Caterpillar Inc. dividend history shows a CAGR of 8.5% per year from 2010 to 2025. The per-share annual dividend grew from $1.72 to $5.84 over that period (2026 data is partial and excluded from the CAGR calculation). The smallest annual increase in the window was 0.6% in 2017, a year that illustrates how growth can slow sharply during periods of weaker demand, even without a cut.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +8.1% | $4.62 (2022) | $5.84 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +7.2% | $4.12 (2020) | $5.84 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +7.1% | $2.94 (2015) | $5.84 (2025) |
CAT fits growth-and-income investors who want a rising dividend stream from a large industrial business, not a high current payout. The yield is low (below 2%), and at 0.61% it sits above the 5-year average of 0.5%, so income at entry is modest by any measure. What the stock offers instead is 12 consecutive years of dividend increases and an 8.5% annual growth rate over the past 15 years. The trade-off is clear: an investor accepts a thin current yield in exchange for a dividend that has more than tripled since 2010, backed by a payout ratio that leaves plenty of room to keep growing.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-07-20 | $1.6300 |
| 2026-04-20 | $1.5100 |
| 2026-01-20 | $1.5100 |
| 2025-10-20 | $1.5100 |
| 2025-07-21 | $1.5100 |
| 2025-04-21 | $1.4100 |
| 2025-01-21 | $1.4100 |
| 2024-10-21 | $1.4100 |
| 2024-07-22 | $1.4100 |
| 2024-04-19 | $1.3000 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $4.6500 |
| 2025 | $5.8400 |
| 2024 | $5.4200 |
| 2023 | $5.0000 |
| 2022 | $4.6200 |
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