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Data last updated: Jul 18, 2026
Snapshot (as of Jul 18, 2026): McDonald's Corporation (MCD) pays a $7.35 annual dividend ($1.86 quarterly), yielding 2.75% at $267.71/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-06-02. 49+ consecutive years of dividend growth (Dividend Aristocrat). Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 2.75%
Annual Dividend: $7.35 per share
Payout Ratio: 59.6%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-06-02
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Consumer Cyclical
Years of Dividend History: 52
McDonald's Corporation dividend has been a fixture of income portfolios for decades, backed by a global fast-food network spanning over 40,000 locations as of 2021. The current yield stands at 2.62%, with a trailing annual dividend rate of $7.35 per share paid quarterly. The next ex-dividend date is June 2, 2026, and the last dividend paid was $1.86 per share. With a beta of 0.414, MCD stock moves well below the broader market, which suits income investors who prioritize low volatility over high yield. McDonald's Corporation is a Dividend Aristocrat, a status that reflects nearly five decades of uninterrupted dividend growth.
McDonald's Corporation pays out 59.6% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as moderate (40–60%). That level leaves a meaningful buffer, and MCD's worldwide network of over 40,000 locations, serving everything from Big Macs to breakfast burritos across both U.S. and international markets, provides the broad revenue base that supports it. McDonald's Corporation dividend safety is further reinforced by the franchise-heavy model implied by the description, though the primary data-supported risk is any sustained compression in consumer spending that could pressure restaurant-level volumes and, in turn, earnings available to cover the payout.
Over the past 14 years, McDonald's Corporation dividend history shows a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% per year from 2011 to 2025. Per-share payments grew from $2.53 to $7.17 over that window (2026 data is partial and excluded from the CAGR). The smallest annual increase in the window was 4.2% in 2021, which sets a floor for what slower growth looks like even in a difficult year for the restaurant industry.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +8.2% | $5.66 (2022) | $7.17 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +7.3% | $5.04 (2020) | $7.17 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +7.6% | $3.44 (2015) | $7.17 (2025) |
McDonald's Corporation is a fit for dividend investors who want a long, unbroken payment record paired with above-average growth for the income category. The yield sits in the moderate (2–4%) range at 2.62%, which is above MCD's own 5-year average of 2.22%, meaning the current entry point offers a better-than-average income rate relative to recent history. Forty-nine consecutive years of dividend increases cement its Dividend Aristocrat standing, one of the longest streaks in the restaurant sector. The trade-off is straightforward: the 7.7% CAGR is real and meaningful, but the yield itself will not satisfy investors seeking high current income. What MCD offers instead is a growing payment from a business with global scale.
MCD is a Dividend Aristocrat with 49 consecutive years of dividend increases.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-02 | $1.8600 |
| 2026-03-03 | $1.8600 |
| 2025-12-01 | $1.8600 |
| 2025-09-02 | $1.7700 |
| 2025-06-02 | $1.7700 |
| 2025-03-03 | $1.7700 |
| 2024-12-02 | $1.7700 |
| 2024-09-03 | $1.6700 |
| 2024-06-03 | $1.6700 |
| 2024-02-29 | $1.6700 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $3.7200 |
| 2025 | $7.1700 |
| 2024 | $6.7800 |
| 2023 | $6.2300 |
| 2022 | $5.6600 |
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