Dividend paying pharmaceutical stocks
Big pharma pays reliable, slowly growing dividends backed by patent-protected cash flow. The threat to the payout is a patent cliff, not a recession.
14 operating companies currently paying a dividend, median yield 2.27%. Funds and ETFs are excluded on purpose — this is companies only. Prices as of Sep 3, 2026.
- 1RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc Class A Ordinary Shares24.0%/yr
- 2ZTSZoetis Inc.20.1%/yr
- 3LLYEli Lilly and Company15.2%/yr
- 4ABTAbbott Laboratories10.4%/yr
- 5ABBVAbbVie Inc.6.8%/yr
- 6MRKMerck & Company, Inc.5.8%/yr
- 7JNJJohnson & Johnson5.3%/yr
- 8PRGOPerrigo Company PLC5.2%/yr
- 9PFEPfizer, Inc.2.5%/yr
- 10BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Company1.6%/yr
No company in this sector pays monthly — the quarterly cheque is the norm here. For monthly income, look at REITs, BDCs and specialty finance.
Specialty financeAll 14 pharmaceuticals dividend payers
14 shown · click any column to sort
| Company | Industry | Yield | Annual $ | Payout | Div growth | Streak | Quality | Size | 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LLYraised Eli Lilly and Company | Pharmaceuticals | 0.60% | $6.92 | 22% | +15.2% | 11y | 84 | $1.03T | +57.2% |
Johnson & Johnson | Pharmaceuticals | 2.00% | $5.36 | 61% | +5.3% | 64y | 70 | $645.9B | +56.4% |
AbbVie Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 2.71% | $6.92 | 190% | +6.8% | 54y | 48 | $451.5B | +22.8% |
Merck & Company, Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 2.29% | $3.40 | 269% | +5.8% | 14y | 49 | $366.0B | +81.0% |
Abbott Laboratories | Pharmaceuticals | 2.24% | $2.52 | 79% | +10.4% | 54y | 33 | $191.2B | -17.7% |
Pfizer, Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 6.04% | $1.72 | 226% | +2.5% | 16y | 35 | $159.4B | +16.2% |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Pharmaceuticals | 3.72% | $2.52 | 55% | +1.6% | 17y | 70 | $138.2B | +43.4% |
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 0.47% | $3.76 | 9% | +40.1%† | 1y | 55 | $82.3B | +49.6% |
Zoetis Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 2.78% | $2.12 | 33% | +20.1% | 13y | 42 | $31.5B | -50.0% |
Royalty Pharma plc Class A Ordinary Shares | Pharmaceuticals | 1.49% | $0.94 | 49% | +24.0% | 6y | 78 | $28.1B | +74.3% |
Viatris Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | 2.81% | $0.48 | 960% | 0.0%* | 1y | 3 | $19.6B | +60.6% |
Organon & Co. | Pharmaceuticals | 0.58% | $0.08 | 9% | -32.8%* | — | 64 | $3.6B | +40.1% |
Perrigo Company PLC | Pharmaceuticals | 8.07% | $1.16 | 110% | +5.2% | 23y | 23 | $2.0B | -38.8% |
Phibro Animal Health Corporation | Pharmaceuticals | 1.20% | $0.48 | 20% | 0.0% | 3y | 21 | $1.6B | +1.0% |
Operating companies only — ETFs, closed-end funds, ADRs and preferred shares or baby bonds are excluded. Payout ratio and raise-streak data isn't published for every company; blanks mean we don't have it rather than zero. * marks a 3-year growth rate where 5 years isn't available; † marks a 12-month growth rate shown because the longer rate is distorted by a stock split.
Other sectors
Go deeper
Frequently asked
How many pharmaceuticals stocks pay a dividend?
We currently track 14 pharmaceuticals operating companies paying a dividend, with a median yield of 2.27%. ETFs, closed-end funds and ADRs are excluded from this count — those are funds, not companies.
Which pharmaceuticals stock has the highest dividend yield?
PRGO shows the highest trailing yield in the sector at 8.07%. Treat the very top of any yield list with suspicion: an unusually high figure is often a special or one-off payment sitting in the trailing rate, or a share price that has collapsed.
Are high-yield pharmaceuticals dividends safe?
Yield alone tells you nothing about safety. In this sector 7 of 14 companies pay out 60% or less of earnings, which is the group with genuine room to keep raising. None have cut recently, and 1 have raised.
Do any pharmaceuticals companies pay monthly dividends?
No. Every dividend payer in this sector pays quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Monthly dividends are concentrated in REITs, BDCs and specialty finance.
How often is this list updated?
Nightly. Prices, yields, payout ratios and performance come from our own data pipeline, and this page reflects prices as of Sep 3, 2026. New dividend initiations and cuts are picked up automatically.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website/service is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Investing in stocks involves high risk, including the loss of principal. We are not responsible for any financial losses or damages resulting from your reliance on this data. Always consult with a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.
Trademark Notice: Twylight Crow's Dividend Tracker (formerly indexed as DiviDrip) is an independent portfolio utility. This tool is not affiliated with, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected to Dividrip.com or its international affiliates.