It's a big day for CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shareholders this Wednesday. Not necessarily because of what's happening with CSL shares themselves. In fact, it's been a rather unremarkable session for the ASX 200 healthcare stock today, with the CSL share price currently down 0.18% at $287.69.
No, it's a big day for investors because today is the day that the record CSL dividend is arriving.
Back in August, we covered CSL's latest earnings report, which covered the healthcare giant's full 2024 financial year ending 30 June.
As we went through at the time, these earnings contained a pleasing set of numbers. CSL reported an 11% spike in revenues for the year to US$14.8 billion. That helped push the company's net profit after tax before amortisation (NPATA) up 11% to US$2.91 billion, while net profits in constant currency terms rose by 15% to US$3.01 billion.
CSL even told investors to expect another 10-13% growth in profits over the present 2025 financial year.
After all that, CSL was able to declare a final dividend of US$1.45 per share for the period. As is often the case with CSL, this dividend will come unfranked.
As we discussed in August, this dividend was a big deal for CSL. For one, it represents a significant improvement over the US$1.29 per share final dividend that investors bagged this time last year. It is also a conspicuous pay rise over April's interim dividend of US$1.19 per share.
Owners of CSL shares rejoice as record dividend hits bank accounts
But this dividend also happens to be the largest payout that CSL has ever announced for its shareholders.
Last month, we warned investors that the ex-dividend date for this payout was set for Monday, 9 September. So you needed to own CSL shares as of the market close on Friday, 6 September, if you wished to receive this dividend.
Back then, we didn't know what this dividend payment would be worth in Australian dollars. But CSL has since determined that the final amount will be $2.17 (or $2.174565, to be exact).
And yes, today is dividend payday for this record CSL payout.
Investors who qualify to receive this dividend should see the cash arriving in their accounts today, 2 October. CSL doesn't currently run a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP), so it's cash or nothing this time around.
At the current CSL share price, this ASX 200 healthcare giant is trading on a dividend yield of 0.97%.
