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Data last updated: Sep 01, 2026
Snapshot (as of Sep 01, 2026): Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) pays a $5.17 annual dividend ($1.30 quarterly), yielding 2.83% at $182.90/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-06-24. Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 2.83%
Annual Dividend: $5.17 per share
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-06-24
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Financial Services
Years of Dividend History: 23
The Vanguard Utilities ETF dividend comes from a passively managed fund that tracks a benchmark index of U.S. utilities companies, including electricity distributors, water utilities, natural gas providers, and independent power producers. VPU currently yields 2.8%, with a trailing annual dividend rate of $5.1678 per share paid quarterly. The next ex-dividend date is June 24, 2026. With a beta of 0.5, the fund moves at roughly half the volatility of the broader market, which suits income investors who prioritize steadiness over aggressive growth.
Vanguard Utilities ETF pays out dividends as a pass-through of income from its underlying holdings, making a traditional payout ratio not applicable (fund/ETF). Vanguard Utilities ETF dividend safety rests on the income generated by its portfolio of electricity, water, and natural gas companies, sectors that serve essential, recurring demand. The primary pressure point is interest rate sensitivity: utilities-focused funds tend to face headwinds when rates rise, which can compress the income passed through to shareholders.
Vanguard Utilities ETF dividend history shows a CAGR of 4.7% per year from 2011 to 2025. Per-share payments grew from $2.6590 to $5.0438 over that window (2026 is a partial year and excluded from the growth calculation). The largest single-year increase in the window was 12.7% in 2012, while 2021 saw a year-over-year dip from $4.3500 to $4.2240, the only decline in the available history.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +3.3% | $4.58 (2022) | $5.04 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +3.0% | $4.35 (2020) | $5.04 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +4.0% | $3.41 (2015) | $5.04 (2025) |
VPU fits dividend investors who want exposure to essential-service companies without taking on single-stock risk. The yield sits at moderate (2–4%), currently at 2.8%, which is above its 5-year average of 2.55%, meaning today's entry point delivers slightly more income than the historical norm. Four consecutive years of dividend increases back that up, though the 4.7% annual growth rate is measured, not aggressive. The trade-off is clear: income comes from a broad basket of utilities holdings with low volatility, but the fund does not offer the yield of higher-income alternatives or the growth pace of faster-compounding sectors.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-24 | $1.3009 |
| 2026-03-24 | $1.2769 |
| 2025-12-17 | $1.3633 |
| 2025-09-24 | $1.2267 |
| 2025-06-26 | $1.2263 |
| 2025-03-25 | $1.2275 |
| 2024-12-18 | $1.2754 |
| 2024-09-27 | $1.3117 |
| 2024-06-28 | $1.2449 |
| 2024-03-22 | $1.0961 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $2.5778 |
| 2025 | $5.0438 |
| 2024 | $4.9281 |
| 2023 | $4.7793 |
| 2022 | $4.5770 |
Project income from VPU with the VPU dividend calculator or track your full portfolio with the dividend tracker.