Dividend yield is the yield a company pays out to its shareholders in the form of dividends.It is a financial ratio that shows how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to its share price. In the absence of any capital gains, the dividend yield is the return on investment for a stock.
Dividend yield is calculated as follows:
Dividend yield = Annual Dividends Per Share / Stock's Price Per Share
It is often expressed as a percentage. For example, if a company’s annual dividend is $1.50 and the stock trades at $25, the Dividend Yield is 6%. ($1.50 / $25 = 0.06)
Dividend yield is a way to measure how much cash flow you are getting for each dollar invested in an equity position - in other words, how much "bang for your buck" you are getting from dividends. Investors who require a minimum stream of cash flow from their investment portfolio can secure this cash flow by investing in stocks paying relatively high, stable dividend yields. Mature, well-established companies tend to have higher dividend yields, while young, growth-oriented companies tend to have lower ones, and most small growing companies don't have a dividend yield at all because they don't pay out dividends.
Dividend yield is an easy way to compare the relative attractiveness of various dividend-paying stocks. It tells an investor the yield he / she can expect by purchasing a stock. This allows a basis of comparison between other investments such as bonds, certificates of deposit, etc.
To better explain the concept, refer to this dividend yield example: If two companies both pay annual dividends of $1 per share, but ABC company's stock is trading at $20 while XYZ company's stock is trading at $40, then ABC has a dividend yield of 5% while XYZ is only yielding 2.5%. Thus, assuming all other factors are equivalent, an investor looking to supplement his or her income would likely prefer ABC's stock over that of XYZ.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|