19 Stocks Pay Dividends in October 2026, Here Are the Three With the Biggest Yields
Nineteen stocks pay dividends in October 2026, and three offer the biggest yields: BDN, GIS and Verizon. Only one looks like a healthy income play, while the other two have yields inflated by steep price declines.
Mikirduit – Nineteen stocks are set to pay dividends in October 2026. Three stand out for yield: Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN), General Mills (GIS) and Verizon (VZ). Only one of them looks like a healthy income play.
Key Takeaways
- High yield doesn't mean safe. BDN's 11.5% and GIS's 7.6% yields are inflated by steep price drops (down 56.9% and 63%) while their businesses weaken.
- BDN has the weakest dividend. It has cut its quarterly payout twice since 2023, from $0.19 to $0.15 to $0.08, and first-half FFO fell 14.2%.
- Verizon looks steadier. Its shares haven't collapsed, and dividends take only about 57% of free cash flow.
Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN): 11.5% yield, shrinking dividend
BDN pays $0.08 per share, with an ex-dividend date of October 8. Four payments of $0.08 add up to $0.32 a year, an 11.51% yield at the October 2 price.
The problem is the trend. The quarterly dividend averaged $0.15 in 2025 and is down to $0.08 this year, a cut of roughly 46%. That follows an earlier cut from $0.19 to $0.15 beginning in October 2023.
The business backs up the caution:
- First-half 2026 funds from operations (FFO) fell 14.2% to $0.24 per share.
- Management guides full-year FFO to $0.53–$0.57 per share. At a 56–60% payout ratio, the best-case Q4 dividend is about $0.10.
- BDN is selling assets to pay down its credit facility, which shrinks rental income. Per-share earnings are improving because of those sales, not because rents are rising.
The stock is down 56.86% since October 2024, which is a big reason the yield looks so high. BDN is a REIT, so regular payouts come with the structure. But the dividend keeps falling.
General Mills (NYSE: GIS): 7.6% yield, weak earnings
GIS pays $0.61 per share, with an ex-dividend date of October 13. That is a 1.91% yield for the quarter and 7.62% annualized ($2.44 a year) at the October 2 price.
Results are under pressure. In the fiscal first quarter (June–August):
- Sales fell 3% to $4.39 billion.
- Adjusted EPS dropped 13% to $0.75.
- Net income fell 67%, though that comparison is distorted by last year's sale of the yogurt business.
Management guides fiscal 2027 organic sales between down 1.5% and up 0.5%, with EPS of $3.00–$3.20. A recovery would help the dividend. Until then, the stock's 63% drop since May 2023 is doing much of the work in that 7.6% yield.
Verizon (NYSE: VZ): The steadier pick
Verizon pays $0.70 per share, with an ex-dividend date of October 9. That is a 1.54% quarterly yield, roughly 6.2% annualized. The dividend has edged up, from $0.69 in the first quarter to $0.70 in the next two.
Unlike BDN and GIS, VZ's shares haven't fallen sharply, so the yield isn't inflated by a price collapse. First-half 2026 numbers:
- Revenue rose 1% to $68.69 billion.
- Net income fell 10.1% to $8.88 billion, as interest expense jumped about 20%.
- Free cash flow was about $10.21 billion ($18.42 billion operating cash flow minus $8.21 billion capex).
- Dividends took 57.4% of free cash flow, a comfortable level.
Management targets full-year adjusted EPS of $4.99–$5.04, with mobility and broadband growing 2.5–3%. A $1 billion dark fiber contract with Google adds upside, though it won't hit 2026 results in full. Holding the payout at about 56–57% of earnings would keep the dividend near $0.70 a quarter.
The rest of the list
We sorted the October payers into two groups: stocks whose yields look high because the price has fallen further than earnings, and stocks with unremarkable price trends.
Yields that are high because of a deep price drop usually come with a deteriorating business. Besides BDN and GIS, Comcast (CMCSA), McCormick (MKC) and Lowe's (LOW) fit this pattern.
The other stocks show no clear dividend-trap risk from an excessive price decline. Oracle (ORCL) has fallen sharply, but the cause is the swings in AI-related sentiment, not a failing business. A recent force majeure at its New Mexico data center project added to the pressure.
Over the course of this week, we'll update our picks for October dividend stocks with the best outlook for sustaining their yields into next year.
U.S. Dividend Stocks: Q3 2026 and Estimated 12-Month Yields
The table compares quarterly dividend yields with estimated yields over the next 12 months, using the reference prices shown below. Estimates assume that the latest regular dividend rates remain unchanged. All prices and dividends are in U.S. dollars per share, before taxes.
| Ticker | Reference Price |
Q3 2026 Dividend¹ |
Q3 2026 Yield |
Estimated 12-Month Dividend² |
Estimated 12-Month Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDN | $2.78 | $0.08 | 2.88% | $0.32 | 11.51% |
| GIS | $32.01 | $0.61 | 1.91% | $2.44 | 7.62% |
| VZ | $45.92 | $0.7075 | 1.54% | $2.83 | 6.16% |
| CMCSA | $21.57 | $0.33 | 1.53% | $1.32 | 6.12% |
| MAIN³ | $55.11 | $1.095 | 1.99% | $3.18 | 5.77% |
| T | $24.31 | $0.2775 | 1.14% | $1.11 | 4.57% |
| MKC | $44.67 | $0.48 | 1.07% | $1.92 | 4.30% |
| EOG | $141.38 | $1.02 | 0.72% | $4.08 | 2.89% |
| LOW | $180.80 | $1.25 | 0.69% | $5.00 | 2.77% |
| ABBV | $262.82 | $1.73 | 0.66% | $6.92 | 2.63% |
| ABT | $97.50 | $0.63 | 0.65% | $2.52 | 2.58% |
| CL | $84.26 | $0.53 | 0.63% | $2.12 | 2.52% |
| JPM | $332.38 | $1.65 | 0.50% | $6.60 | 1.99% |
| ORCL | $142.30 | $0.50 | 0.35% | $2.00 | 1.41% |
| WSM | $232.30 | $0.76 | 0.33% | $3.04 | 1.31% |
| AXP | $302.78 | $0.95 | 0.31% | $3.80 | 1.26% |
| MA | $552.26 | $0.87 | 0.16% | $3.48 | 0.63% |
| DELL | $562.42 | $0.63 | 0.11% | $2.52 | 0.45% |
| MRVL | $272.29 | $0.06 | 0.02% | $0.24 | 0.09% |
1. Quarterly figures: Q3 dividend amounts follow the supplied dataset, except for MAIN, which has been corrected to include its monthly payments and supplemental dividend. The Q3 label does not necessarily indicate that payment occurred between July and September. Reference prices have not been verified as September 30, 2026 closing prices.
2. Calculation: Quarterly yield equals the stated quarterly dividend divided by the reference price. Estimated 12-month dividends equal the latest regular quarterly dividend multiplied by four, or the latest regular monthly dividend multiplied by 12. Estimates exclude future dividend increases, cuts, and special or supplemental payments.
3. MAIN: Its Q3 dividend totals $1.095 per share: three monthly payments of $0.265 plus a $0.30 supplemental dividend. The 12-month estimate includes only regular monthly dividends, totaling $3.18 per share. If a $0.30 supplemental dividend were paid each quarter over the next 12 months, total dividends would reach $4.38 per share, implying a 7.95% yield at the reference price. Future supplemental payments have not been confirmed.
Estimated yields measure dividend income relative to the reference price; they do not represent expected total investment returns.
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FAQ
Which stocks have the biggest dividend yields in October 2026?
Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN) leads at 11.51% annualized, followed by General Mills (GIS) at 7.62% and Verizon (VZ) at about 6.2%, based on October 2 prices.
What are the ex-dividend dates for BDN, GIS and VZ?
BDN goes ex-dividend on October 8, VZ on October 9 and GIS on October 13, 2026.
What is a dividend trap?
A dividend trap is a stock whose yield looks attractive mainly because the share price has fallen, while falling earnings or cash flow put the payout at risk.
Which October dividend stocks may be dividend traps?
Besides BDN and GIS, the article flags Comcast (CMCSA), McCormick (MKC) and Lowe's (LOW) as showing the same pattern of deep price declines and weakening business trends.
Why is Oracle (ORCL) not flagged as a dividend trap?
Its price drop is tied to volatility in AI-related sentiment, not a deteriorating business, though a force majeure at its New Mexico data center project added pressure.
Mikirduit US provides independent financial research and educational content. This article is not personalized investment advice, and investors should conduct their own research before making investment decisions.
