Ball dividend: payments, cash flow and yield
MyStockButler's October 2026 analysis: Ball pays $0.20 quarterly. In 2025, Ball generated $788 million of free cash flow against $1,541 million of shareholder payments, so its cash did not cover them.
How much does Ball pay in dividends over the years shown?
The base dividend stays at $0.80 in the first period and rises to $0.88 in the last. The bear case cuts it to $0.64, while the bull case reaches $0.92. The current $0.20 quarterly payment and modest 2026 dividend budget support stability, but leverage and cash needs limit confidence in rapid increases.
| October 2027 | October 2028 | October 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings | 1,110 (950 / 1,210) | 1,200 (980 / 1,400) | 1,300 (1,020 / 1,600) |
| Shares (millions) | 257 (259 / 255) | 250 (255 / 246) | 243 (251 / 237) |
| Dividends per share | 0.80 (0.80 / 0.84) | 0.84 (0.80 / 0.88) | 0.88 (0.64 / 0.92) |
| Price to earnings | 16.00 (13.50 / 18.00) | 16.00 (12.50 / 19.00) | 16.00 (11.50 / 20.00) |
How much would Ball's dividend pay you?
$10,000 invested in Ball at its 1.2% dividend yield (our report of October 24, 2026) pays $120.00 in the first year, before tax. If its dividend per share keeps changing 3.8% a year, as it did from 2021 to 2025, and the dividends are reinvested, year 10 pays $189.66, with $1,520.13 received in all.
Before tax. Past dividend growth is not a promise. Information only, not investment advice.
Is Ball's dividend covered by its cash?
The 2025 cash picture was harder. Ball generated $788 million of free cash flow, meaning operating cash after capital expenditure, but paid shareholders $1,541 million. The shortfall was financed partly through borrowing, and net debt reached $5,800 million. Spending more than the continuing business generated can be sensible for a time, but it leaves future earnings carrying the interest and repayment burden.
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free cash flow | 788 | ||||
| − Dividends paid | 220 | 244 | 252 | 254 | 229 |
| − Share buybacks | 1,321 | 1,712 | 3 | 618 | 766 |
| − Acquisitions | 159 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| − Debt repaid | 5,455 | 3,509 | 2,491 | 3,884 | 752 |
| Paid out, % of free cash flow | 195.6% |
What could change Ball's dividend?
Management expects at least 10% comparable diluted EPS growth in 2026. It also expects at least $900 million of free cash flow and year-end net debt to comparable EBITDA of 2.7x. The plan includes at least $800 million of shareholder returns and $600 million of capital expenditures.
What is Ball's dividend yield against its price today?
By October 2029, the weighted value reaches $84.88, or a 35% return. The bear-to-bull range then runs from $46.68 to $134.85. Today’s price is $64.76.
| Today (Oct 24, 2026) | |
|---|---|
| Share price | 64.76 |
| Market value (calculated) | 17,142.189 |
| Enterprise value (calculated) | 23,871.189 |
| Free cash flow yield (calculated) | 4.6% |
| Real free cash flow yield (calculated) | 4.4% |
| Dividend yield (calculated) | 1.2% |
What this means. The next twelve months price-to-earnings measure uses analysts’ guesses about future profit, so it is not a known fact.