Forward Annual Dividend Yield
Returns the forward-looking dividend yield, calculated using the expected/declared future dividend and the current stock price.
Forward Yield = (Expected Annual Dividend / Current Price)
Forward vs Trailing Yield
| Metric | Based On | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Yield | Expected future dividends | Forward-looking analysis |
| Trailing Yield | Past 12 months dividends | Historical comparison |
Why Use Forward Yield?
- Reflects announced dividend changes
- Better for recently raised/cut dividends
- More accurate for income projections
- Used by most professional investors
Dividend Yield Categories
| Yield | Classification |
|---|---|
| > 6% | High yield (higher risk) |
| 3% - 6% | Above average |
| 2% - 3% | Average |
| < 2% | Low yield / growth focus |
Syntax
=ForwardAnnualDividendYield(Symbol)Returns
Forward dividend yield as a decimal (e.g., 0.025 = 2.5%)
Examples
=ForwardAnnualDividendYield("AAPL")=ForwardAnnualDividendYield("JNJ")=ForwardAnnualDividendYield("VZ")=ForwardAnnualDividendYield("VZ")*100When to Use
- Income investing analysis
- Dividend stock screening
- Projecting portfolio income
- Comparing dividend stocks
- After dividend increase/cut announcements
When NOT to Use
| Scenario | Use Instead |
|---|---|
| Need historical yield | dividend_yield() (trailing) |
| Need dividend amount | DividendPerShare() |
| Need ex-dividend date | ex_dividend_date() |
| Need payout ratio | DividendPayoutRatio() |
Common Issues & FAQ
Why is the yield returned as a decimal?
The value is a decimal (0.025 = 2.5%). Multiply by 100 for percentage:
=ForwardAnnualDividendYield("SYMBOL")*100
Why might forward yield differ from trailing yield?
Forward yield differs when:
- Company recently raised the dividend
- Company recently cut the dividend
- Dividend increase is expected
- Stock price has moved significantly
Why might forward yield be NA or 0?
The company either:
- Doesn't pay dividends
- Has suspended dividends
- Has no forward guidance on dividends
Is a higher yield always better?
Not necessarily. Very high yields (>6-8%) may indicate:
- Dividend cut risk
- Stock price decline
- Financial distress Always check the payout ratio and company fundamentals.
Excel Templates Using Forward Annual Dividend Yield
These ready-made MarketXLS templates call ForwardAnnualDividendYield() in their worksheet formulas. Open one to see the function working inside a complete model.
Related Formulas
More MarketXLS Dividends formulas you can use in the same worksheet:
- Total Dividends Between Two Dates
- Consecutive Period of Increasing Dividend Payout
- Consecutive Period of Uninterrupted Dividend
- Dividend Date
- Dividend Frequency
- Dividend Pay Date
- Dividend Per Share 5 Year CAGR
- Dividend Rate (Forward)
See ForwardAnnualDividendYield used in a complete workbook: Fed Pause Sector Rotation Model Excel: Build a Q2 2026 Sector Dashboard in MarketXLS
Get Access to 1 Billion Usable Market data points IN YOUR EXCEL SHEETS WITH EASY TO USE EXCEL FUNCTIONS
Get started today