Dividend Yield Calculator
Enter share price, annual dividend, and your share count. Get current yield, annual income, per-payment income, and yield on cost (if you supply your purchase price).
Inputs
Sum of all dividends paid per share over the last 12 months.
What you actually paid per share. Used to compute yield on cost — your effective yield based on what you originally invested, not the current price.
Yield + income
Dividend yield
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Annual income$NaN
Per-payment income (4× per year)$NaN
Yield is not return. A high dividend yield can mean a strong income stock OR a stock whose price has dropped (mathematically inflating yield). Always check whether the dividend has been growing or stable — a 6% yield on a stock that may cut its dividend is risky.
Track dividend income alongside trade P&L.
TradersForge categorizes dividends as separate income events on import — your trade P&L stays clean and your dividend income is tracked independently for income-strategy traders.
FAQ
- What is dividend yield?
- Dividend yield = Annual dividend per share ÷ Current share price × 100. It tells you what percentage of the current price you receive per year in dividends. A $2 annual dividend on a $50 stock = 4% yield.
- What's the difference between yield and yield on cost?
- Yield is based on CURRENT share price. Yield on cost is based on YOUR original purchase price. If you bought at $40 and the stock is now $80, current yield uses $80 in the denominator (lower yield) but yield on cost uses $40 (higher yield). YoC reflects YOUR effective income rate based on what you actually paid.
- Is a higher dividend yield always better?
- No. A high yield can signal: (1) a great income stock (good), (2) a stock whose price has dropped sharply (yield rises mathematically) — often because the market expects a dividend cut or fundamental issues. Always check the dividend trajectory: growing dividends beat high-but-stagnant yields, which beat declining dividends with high "current" yields.
- How often do US stocks pay dividends?
- Most US large-caps pay quarterly (4× per year). Some REITs and high-yield ETFs pay monthly. International stocks often pay semi-annually or annually. The frequency affects timing of cash flow but not the annual yield itself.
- How are dividends taxed?
- Qualified dividends (most US stocks held over 60 days) are taxed at long-term capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income). Ordinary (non-qualified) dividends are taxed at your regular income tax rate. REITs typically pay non-qualified dividends. International dividends may have foreign tax withholding.
- How does TradersForge handle dividends in trade journaling?
- For dividend-paying stocks held through ex-date, the dividend payment shows as a separate transaction in your broker CSV. TradersForge categorizes these as dividend events (not trades) so your trade P&L and dividend income are tracked separately. Useful for income traders who want to see dividend yield as a distinct return component.