MetLife dividend
MetLife pays $2.37 per share at the latest annualized rate. In 2023, dividends and buybacks consumed 197.7% of common earnings excluding the asset-transfer loss, so coverage depended on more than that year's common earnings alone.
How much does MetLife pay its shareholders per share?
The base dividend rises from $2.49 to $2.97 per share. The bear case holds it at $2.37, the latest annualized rate, while the bull case reaches $3.32. The five-year record shows increases from $1.90 to $2.25, but no explicit dividend-growth target exists.
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS, diluted | 4.71 | 5.94 | 1.81 | 6.30 | 7.65 |
| − Dividends declared, per diluted share (calculated) | 2.24 | 2.15 | 2.05 | 1.98 | 1.89 |
| − Share buybacks, per share | 4.28 | 4.51 | 4.07 | 4.11 | 4.95 |
| = Kept, per share | 0.22 | 0.81 |
What this means. The company paid out more per share when dividends and share buybacks together exceeded its profit per share.
Is MetLife's dividend covered by its cash?
The parent company mainly receives usable cash through dividends from its regulated subsidiaries, and regulators can restrict those payments. That is why reported earnings, parent cash, reserves, liquidity and debt must be considered together before judging a buyback or acquisition.
Paid out, % of earnings for common — Excluding the $982 million asset-transfer loss, 2023 dividends and buybacks consumed 197.7% of common earnings, compared with 338.3% reported.
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| − Dividends declared on common shares | 1,509 | 1,527 | 1,566 | 1,598 | 1,647 |
| − Share buybacks | 2,883 | 3,207 | 3,103 | 3,326 | 4,303 |
| = Kept to grow and build capital | 175 | 704 | |||
| = Paid out more than it earned | 1,219 | 508 | 3,289 | ||
| Paid out, % of earnings for common | 138.4% | 112.0% | 338.3% | 96.6% | 89.4% |
What this means. The reported net income includes money owed to preferred and other investors, so ordinary shareholders’ earnings are lower after those claims are removed.
What could change MetLife's dividend?
The view would move toward bear if private-equity returns, variable investment income or credit experience weaken during 2027–2029. Adverse claims or underpriced pension transfers would pressure RIS earnings. Tighter subsidiary remittances or integration costs would reduce parent cash and buybacks.
What is MetLife's dividend yield today?
| Today (Oct 17, 2026) | |
|---|---|
| Share price | 100.76 |
| Dividend yield (calculated) | 2.4% |
| Calculation input: latest declared quarterly regular dividend | 0.5925 |
What this means. The next twelve months price-to-earnings figure uses analysts’ profit estimate for the next twelve months, not necessarily the next financial year.