National HealthCare Corporation
NHC21 yrs growthHealthcare · Stock · quarterly payer
Forward Yield
1.23%
Annual Dividend
$2.68
Payout Ratio
29%
5-Yr Growth
4.0%
Ex-Date
Sep 30, 2026
Frequency
Quarterly
Summary
As of September 2026, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) yields 1.23% ($2.68 per share annually), with a blended fair-value estimate of $171.85 — -21% downside, so it screens as overvalued. Dividend safety grade: A (86/100). 21 years of dividend growth.
Is NHC a good dividend stock?
YesNational HealthCare Corporation (NHC) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 1.23% ($2.68/yr), with 21 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of A. It scores well across payout coverage, growth history and safety — a dependable income holding.
Advantages
- 21 consecutive years of dividend growth
- Comfortable payout ratio (29%)
- 212% total price return over 5 years
- Top-tier dividend safety score
Risks
- Cut its dividend in 2004
Key Data
- Dividend Yield
- 1.23%
- Payout Ratio
- 29%
- Annual Dividend
- $2.68
- 5-Yr Avg Growth
- 4.0%
- Ex-Dividend Date
- Sep 30, 2026
- Years of Growth
- 21
- Frequency
- quarterly
- Beta
- 0.63
- Market Cap
- $3.4B
- P/E Ratio
- 24.6
- 5-Yr Total Return
- 212%
- 52-Week Range
- $112.40 – $239.29
- Dividend Safety
- A · 86/100
- Ever Cut?
- Yes (2004)
Frequently Asked Questions
NHC Price — Last 12 Months
Daily close
Price Return
1 Year
+80%
3 Years
+242%
5 Years
+212%
52-Week Range
$112.40 – $239.29
Price change over each period (excludes dividends). Past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
What is NHC worth?
Overvaluedmedium confidenceOur blended fair-value estimate for National HealthCare Corporation is $171.85 per share, versus a market price of $218.64. That implies 21% of downside.
Fair Value
$171.85
Current Price
$218.64
Downside
-21%
Margin of Safety
-27%
How we get there
Discounted cash flow
Discounts projected free cash flow back to today.
Dividend discount
Discounts the future dividend stream back to today.
Earnings multiple (Graham)
Graham's earnings-multiple formula, anchored to bond yields.
At today's price, the market is pricing in about 12.1% annual free-cash-flow growth. We model 10.0% — so the price already assumes faster growth than we think is likely.
Assumptions: 7.5% discount rate (CAPM), 10.0% stage-1 growth, 2.5% terminal growth, $8.90 EPS, $2.68 annual dividend. Updated weekly.
Fair-value estimates are model output for educational purposes only — not investment advice or a price target.
NHC Dividend Safety Score
Very Safe
SmarterDividends' proprietary score, backtested against which dividends were actually cut over 15+ years (0.78 AUC). It blends a validated cut-risk model (growth streak, cut history) with current payout, cash-flow and debt. Higher is safer · not investment advice.
Dividend Growth
Total dividends per share by year
Dividend History
| Ex-Date | Pay Date | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | — | $0.6700 | regular |
| Mar 31, 2026 | — | $0.6400 | regular |
| Dec 31, 2025 | — | $0.6400 | regular |
| Sep 30, 2025 | — | $0.6400 | regular |
| Jun 30, 2025 | — | $0.6400 | regular |
| Mar 28, 2025 | — | $0.6100 | regular |
| Dec 30, 2024 | — | $0.6100 | regular |
| Sep 30, 2024 | — | $0.6100 | regular |
| Jun 28, 2024 | — | $0.6100 | regular |
| Mar 27, 2024 | — | $0.5900 | regular |
| Dec 28, 2023 | — | $0.5900 | regular |
| Sep 28, 2023 | — | $0.5900 | regular |
| Jun 29, 2023 | — | $0.5900 | regular |
| Mar 30, 2023 | — | $0.5700 | regular |
Income Calculator
At $2.68 / yr per share
