Microsoft's (MSFT -1.08%) impressive gains and market capitalization, currently over $3 trillion, have earned it a spot among the "Magnificent Seven" stocks. It's made headlines as the world's second-most valuable company, but what often gets overlooked is the dividend. While Microsoft's paltry yield of less than 1% is nothing to brag about at the moment, it's certainly something to keep an eye on as the company approaches two decades of dividend increases.
How much will Microsoft's total dividend payout be for 2024?
Here's a quick answer. Microsoft has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share for fiscal year 2024 (which ended on June 30). On an annual basis, this totals $3.00 per share.
If you add up all the shares of Microsoft stock outstanding -- 7.43 billion as of the latest financial reports -- and multiply this by the annual dividend per share of $3.00, you get a dividend payout of approximately $22.29 billion this year.
These numbers can change
It's likely that the total dividend payout number quoted above will not be the exact amount Microsoft will shell out to shareholders in 2024. For one, the number of outstanding shares can change, affecting the total payout. Also, a dividend hike could be coming before the end of the year, as Microsoft typically announces a dividend increase in September, though nothing is set in stone yet.
So far this year, Microsoft has paid a dividend of $0.75 per share in March and June. Investors have already received word that another $0.75 per share dividend will hit their accounts in September. However, the fourth dividend payment of the year, if there is one, is still up in the air. If dividend trends continue, shareholders will likely receive a pay raise in December, bumping up the total dividend payout for 2024.
