Dividend Payout Ratio

The percentage of earnings paid out as dividends. Indicates how much room a company has to maintain or grow the payout.

Dividend Payout Ratio — The percentage of earnings paid out as dividends. Indicates how much room a company has to maintain or grow the payout.

Key facts

Category
Dividends
Definition
The percentage of earnings paid out as dividends. Indicates how much room a company has to maintain or grow the payout.
Formula
Payout Ratio = Dividends per share / EPS × 100
Live example
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Last updated
2026-06-17

Formula

Payout Ratio = Dividends per share / EPS × 100

Worked example

EPS of $5.00, dividend of $2.00 per share → 40% payout ratio.

Interpretive bands

< 30%
Plenty of cushion. Dividend safe even in a 30% earnings drop.
30 – 60%
Healthy range — balancing reinvestment and dividend.
60 – 80%
Higher risk — earnings drop could force a cut.
> 80%
Stretched. The company is paying out almost everything; any earnings hit threatens the dividend.
> 100%
Unsustainable. Paying more than it earns — usually funded by debt or cash reserves.

How IndexAlpha uses Dividend Payout Ratio

A key input to the Dividend Quality Index. IndexAlpha flags payout ratios above 80% as elevated risk.

See it live

The Dividend Payout Ratio metric shows up on every IndexAlpha research page. See it now on MO — or research any stock to view its Dividend Payout Ratio.

Related terms

Common questions

What is Dividend Payout Ratio?

The percentage of earnings paid out as dividends. Indicates how much room a company has to maintain or grow the payout.

How is Dividend Payout Ratio calculated?

Payout Ratio = Dividends per share / EPS × 100. EPS of $5.00, dividend of $2.00 per share → 40% payout ratio.

How does IndexAlpha use Dividend Payout Ratio?

A key input to the Dividend Quality Index. IndexAlpha flags payout ratios above 80% as elevated risk.

Sources