Glossary: Dividend Dashboard Columns

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Definition: The row number assigned to each stock after filtering or loading.

Why it matters: Helps identify and reference specific entries easily when filtering by range.

Ticker

Definition: The stock's abbreviated trading symbol, used on exchanges.

Why it matters: It's the fastest way to reference or research a company in financial tools.

Company

Definition: The full legal name of the company issuing the stock.

Why it matters: Gives human-readable context to tickers and helps verify identity.

Sector

Definition: The general industry group the company belongs to (e.g. Healthcare, Utilities).

Why it matters: Useful for diversification and sector-based investment strategies.

Price

Definition: The current market price of the stock.

Why it matters: Used to calculate dividend yield and assess affordability or value.

Market Cap

Definition: The company's total market value (Price × Shares Outstanding).

Why it matters: Helps gauge company size and relative risk. Large caps are often more stable.

EPS (Earnings Per Share)

Definition: Net income divided by the number of outstanding shares.

Why it matters: Indicates profitability. Needed to assess payout ratio sustainability.

Dividend

Definition: The total annual cash dividend paid per share.

Why it matters: This is the raw payout used to calculate yield. Investors rely on it for income.

Dividend Yield (%)

Definition: Annual dividend divided by share price, expressed as a percentage.

Why it matters: Shows how much income you earn for each dollar invested. A key metric.

Payout Ratio (%)

Definition: Percentage of earnings paid out as dividends (Dividend ÷ EPS).

Why it matters: Indicates sustainability. A high payout may be risky if earnings drop.

Dividend Type

Definition: Indicates whether the dividend is regular, special, or variable.

Why it matters: Clarifies if the dividend is recurring or irregular, which affects planning.

Frequency

Definition: How often dividends are paid (e.g. monthly, quarterly).

Why it matters: Important for cash flow timing. Some investors prefer monthly income.

1Y Dividend Growth (%)

Definition: The percentage increase in dividend payments over the past year.

Why it matters: Reflects recent company policy and profitability trends.

5Y Dividend CAGR (%)

Definition: Compound Annual Growth Rate of the dividend over the last 5 years.

Why it matters: Signals long-term commitment to dividend growth - a core DGI metric.

Ex-Dividend Date

Definition: The cutoff date to own a stock in order to receive its next dividend payment.

Why it matters: Buying a stock after this date means you won't get the upcoming dividend - timing matters for income investors.