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Finance

What is Dividend yield?

Dividend yield is the annual dividend a stock pays expressed as a percentage of its price. If a $100 stock pays $4 a year, its yield is 4%. It helps investors compare how much income different dividend-paying stocks provide.

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Key things to understand

  • 1It's annual dividends as a percent of share price.
  • 2Higher yield means more income per dollar invested.
  • 3It moves opposite to price: if price falls, yield rises.
  • 4Very high yields can signal risk, not just reward.

Frequently asked questions

What is dividend yield?
A stock's yearly dividend as a percentage of its current price, showing the income it provides.
How do you calculate dividend yield?
Divide the annual dividend per share by the share price, then multiply by 100.
Is a high dividend yield always good?
Not necessarily — a very high yield can mean the price has fallen due to trouble, risking a dividend cut.

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