Dividend yield calculator

Forward yield divides the declared annual dividend by today's price. Trailing yield divides what the company actually paid over the last twelve months, which is the more honest of the two when payouts move. Yield on cost divides the same annual dividend by what you paid per share, so it rises with the years and says more about your timing than about the company. The payout ratio compares the dividend to earnings per share; above 100 % the company is paying out more than it earns, which rarely lasts. The projection applies constant growth rates you chose, once a year, reinvesting into fractional shares with no commission, tax, or dividend cuts; it is an illustration of the arithmetic, not a forecast. A high yield on its own is often a warning rather than a bargain, since the price usually falls for a reason.