It's dividend season!
Earnings season has begun and investors are watching dividend announcements closely.
Let's check out the forecast for dividends in the ASX 200 communications sector this year.
Image source: Getty Images
Dividend forecasts for ASX 200 communications shares
Let's review the forecast 2025 dividend yields for the top 10 ASX 200 communications shares by market capitalisation.
The following table shows the consensus analysts' forecasts for 2025 dividends, as published on the CommSec trading platform.
We've calculated the dividend yields these forecasts equate to based on share prices at the time of writing.
We've also included the dividend amounts paid in 2024 so you can compare them to the 2025 predictions.
These ASX 200 communications shares are listed in order of market cap from biggest to smallest.
| ASX 200 communications share | 2024 dividend | Forecast 2025 dividend | Yield |
| Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) | 18 cents | 18 cents | 4.56% |
| REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) | $1.89 | $2.18 | 0.86% |
| Car Group Limited (ASX: CAR) | 73 cents | 76.5 cents | 1.9% |
| Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) | 35 cents | 33 cents | 1.43% |
| TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) | 18 cents | 18 cents | 4.06% |
| Spark New Zealand Ltd (ASX: SPK) | 25.2 cents | 23.3 cents | 8.86% |
| Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU) | 43.5 cents | 53.5 cents | 6.83% |
| Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) | 8.5 cents | 8.5 cents | 6.54% |
| EVT Ltd (ASX: EVT) | 34 cents | 36 cents | 3.11% |
So, Spark New Zealand is expected to pay the highest dividend yield of this group in 2025.
The telecommunications and digital services company will announce its 1H FY25 results and interim dividend on 21 February.
Spark and the predicted second-highest dividend payer, Chorus, are both New Zealand companies so their dividends will be unfranked.
But dividends from the anticipated third highest payer, Nine shares, will come with full franking credits.
Five stocks to pay dividend yields above the market average
It's interesting to note that five of the top 10 ASX 200 communications shares are expected to pay a dividend yield higher than the long-term average for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is 4%.
Aussie investors are used to receiving above-average dividends from the large-cap ASX 200 mining and banking stocks, but analysts say this year only a few will manage it.
Among the six large-cap miners, analysts expect only two to pay dividends above 4%.
Among the big five ASX banks, analysts expect only three to pay dividends above 4%.
Perhaps investors will look outside the banks and miners to less high-profile sectors this year, such as communications and utilities, where more stocks are tipped to yield more than 4%.
