Apple keeps its $0.27 dividend payout unchanged

Apple's board of directors has decided to maintain its quarterly cash dividend at $0.27 per share, despite recording a record September quarter. The dividend, payable on November 16, will be distributed to shareholders of record as of November 12, 2026. This decision comes alongside the company's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings results, which revealed a 12% year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue to $114.5 billion.

Diluted earnings per share also rose 14% to $2.10, with iPhone revenue hitting a record high in the quarter. Apple returned $28 billion to shareholders through dividends and other capital returns, including share repurchases, during the period. The company's capital return program appears to prioritize stock buybacks over direct cash payments, as it spent $86.4 billion repurchasing shares compared to $15.7 billion on dividends and dividend equivalents in fiscal 2026. Despite this, Apple's dividend remains a relatively small part of shareholder returns.