FactSet dividend
MyStockButler's October 2026 analysis: FactSet's declared annualized dividend rate is $4.64 per share. In FY2026, FactSet's dividends were covered by free cash flow, but total shareholder payments reached 114.2% of free cash flow.
How much does FactSet pay in dividends?
The base dividend rises from $4.88 per share to $5.36. The path follows the recent 5%–6% increase pattern after the declared annualized rate of $4.64. The bear case holds at $4.64 because debt refinancing takes priority. The bull case reaches $5.80 as stronger growth and cash conversion support faster increases. Dividends have risen in every year shown, but fiscal 2026 shareholder payments exceeded free cash flow.
| Aug 2026 | Aug 2025 | Aug 2024 | Aug 2023 | Aug 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 2,476,256 | 2,321,748 | 2,203,056 | 2,085,508 | 1,843,892 |
| Revenue growth (calculated) | 6.7% | 5.4% | 5.6% | 13.1% | 15.9% |
| Operating income | 699,957 | 748,303 | 701,299 | 629,207 | 475,482 |
| EPS, diluted | 14.57 | 15.55 | 13.91 | 12.04 | 10.25 |
| Dividend per share | 4.52 | 4.28 | 4.04 | 3.74 | 3.42 |
What this means. Reported sales growth includes acquired businesses and currency effects in some years, so it does not always show how much the existing business grew on its own.
How much would FactSet's dividend pay you?
$10,000 invested in FactSet at its 1.4% dividend yield (our report of October 24, 2026) pays $140.00 in the first year, before tax. If its dividend per share keeps changing 8.4% a year, as it did from Aug 2022 to Aug 2026, and the dividends are reinvested, year 10 pays $343.59, with $2,263.68 received in all.
Before tax. Past dividend growth is not a promise. Information only, not investment advice.
Is FactSet's dividend covered by its cash?
The major change came in the repurchase program. The board approved $400 million on June 17, 2025, then added $600 million on December 16 and removed the expiry dates. Authorization is permission to spend; actual fiscal 2026 buybacks were $644.0 million. Dividends added $164.2 million, taking shareholder payments to $808.1 million, or 114.2% of fiscal 2026 free cash flow. The excess was $100.7 million, and cash and short-term investments fell by $89.8 million. The company ended with $265.3 million of cash and short-term investments against $1.4 billion of debt, leaving $1.1 billion of net debt.
Stock compensation also claims part of the cash economics. FactSet paid $84.1 million through shares rather than cash; deducting that amount leaves analytical “real free cash flow” of $623.4 million. That equals 25.2% of revenue and better reflects what existing owners retain before distributions.
| Aug 2026 | Aug 2025 | Aug 2024 | Aug 2023 | Aug 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free cash flow | 707,480 | 617,454 | 614,657 | 584,787 | 487,121 |
| − Dividends paid | 164,184 | 159,973 | 150,667 | 138,601 | 125,934 |
| − Share buybacks | 643,961 | 300,457 | 235,235 | 176,720 | 18,639 |
| = Free cash flow not paid out | 157,024 | 228,755 | 269,466 | 342,548 | |
| Paid out, % of free cash flow | 114.2% | 74.6% | 62.8% | 53.9% | 29.7% |
What this means. In August 2026, the company paid shareholders more cash than its business generated, so it had to use savings or borrow money to cover the difference.
What could change FactSet's dividend?
The bear path becomes more likely if FY2027–FY2029 renewals show traditional workstation reductions or seat trimming. Rising content and delivery costs in FY2027–FY2028 would also reduce cash flow. Higher refinancing costs from March 2027 would constrain buybacks.
| October 2027 | October 2028 | October 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free cash flow after stock pay | 648 (561 / 698) | 681 (578 / 782) | 715 (595 / 860) |
| Shares (millions) | 34.33 (34.85 / 33.87) | 33.34 (34.45 / 32.48) | 32.30 (34.07 / 31.13) |
| Dividends per share | 4.88 (4.64 / 5.00) | 5.12 (4.64 / 5.40) | 5.36 (4.64 / 5.80) |
| Enterprise value to free cash flow after stock pay | 19.00 (15.50 / 22.00) | 19.00 (14.50 / 24.00) | 18.50 (13.50 / 25.00) |
| Net debt | 1,129 (1,015 / 1,276) | 1,079 (817 / 1,374) | 1,042 (600 / 1,495) |
What is FactSet's dividend yield today?
Free cash flow yield measures the cash a business generates against its equity value; dividend yield measures only the cash actually paid to shareholders. FactSet’s 6.1% free cash flow yield is therefore not a promised 6.1% distribution. The lower 5.3% “real” yield would imply a more demanding valuation, but its adjustment needs to be defined.