#payout-ratio

#payout-ratio

Lowe's paid its latest quarterly dividend of $1.20 per share on February 4, 2026, marking another milestone in the home improvement retailer's 65-year streak of consecutive dividend increases. With shares trading at $291.07 as of February 12, 2026, the current quarterly payout translates to a 1.65% annual yield. While that figure trails the broader market's income opportunities, Lowe's dividend story deserves closer examination beyond the headline number.

MFA's dividend is not covered by current earnings. The company reported $0.20 per share in distributable earnings for Q3 2025 while paying out $0.36 per share in dividends. That's a payout ratio of 180%. Over the trailing twelve months, earnings totaled $1.12 per share against dividends of $1.44, yielding a payout ratio of 128.6%. Full-year 2024 showed improvement, with operating cash flow of $200.1 million covering the $176.7 million dividend obligation at 1.13x.

Erie Indemnity paid $5.46 per share in dividends over the trailing twelve months against earnings of $12.39 per share. That's a 44% earnings payout ratio, well below the 60% threshold I consider healthy. In Q3, the company paid $63.6 million in dividends against net income of $183 million, a 35% payout ratio. The free cash flow picture is equally solid. In 2024, Erie generated $611.3 million in operating cash flow and spent $124.8 million on capex, leaving $486.4 million in free cash flow.