DHT Holdings Raises Quarterly Dividend

DHT Holdings, Inc. raised its quarterly dividend to $0.64 a share from $0.41, a 56.1% increase, with the stock trading ex-dividend on May 21, 2026. The annualized dividend is $2.56 a share, implying a forward annual yield of 15.31% based on a share price of $16.72.

The energy-sector tanker company’s dividend move follows a stronger first quarter for its very large crude carrier, or VLCC, business. In its first-quarter report, DHT said the payout was tied to ordinary net income and reflected its capital allocation policy. The company reported higher tanker earnings, vessel-sale gains and new time-charter activity during the quarter, while also noting that tightening market conditions had encouraged customers to secure vessel capacity. DHT’s first-quarter report said the shares would trade ex-dividend from May 21, 2026.

Why the dividend moved

DHT is an independent crude oil tanker company whose fleet trades internationally in the VLCC segment, according to the company’s investor materials. The company says it operates through wholly owned management companies in Monaco, Norway, Singapore and India, and uses a mix of market exposure and fixed-income contracts for its fleet. Company background from DHT also describes a capital allocation approach that includes cash dividends, vessel investments, debt prepayments and share buybacks.

The company’s stated dividend policy is variable rather than a fixed-growth framework. DHT says it seeks to pay out 100% of ordinary net income in quarterly cash dividends, while adjusting ordinary net income for non-cash items and capital gains or losses. The board retains discretion to change the policy. DHT dividend policy frames distributions as a reflection of operational performance while preserving financial flexibility.

DHT’s dividend record also shows recent volatility. The new quarterly rate follows a previous quarterly rate of $0.41, but the company had previously cut the dividend in 2024. Its current consecutive dividend-growth streak is zero years, reflecting that variability.

What it means for income investors

For income investors, the increase raises current cash income substantially, but the payout should be viewed in the context of DHT’s cyclical tanker exposure and variable dividend policy. The company’s safety score is 43 out of 100, or a D grade, and the dividend history shows that payments can move down as well as up when market conditions or ordinary net income change.