Definition:

Dividend Per Share (TTM) is the total dividends per share that a company has reported in its financial statements over the trailing twelve months (TTM), i.e., the last four fiscal quarters. TTM stands for trailing twelve months, meaning the most recent 12-month period covered by reported results.

The figure includes all dividend amounts for common shareholders over those four quarters, including:

• Regular dividends (the ongoing, recurring dividend)

• Extra dividends (additional amounts on top of the regular dividend)

• Special dividends (non-routine, one-off distributions that sit outside the normal dividend pattern)

Formula:

Dividend Per Share (TTM) = Sum of dividends per share reported in the last 4 fiscal quarters

For companies that report total dividends instead of per-share amounts, the figure is derived by dividing total common dividends over the last four quarters by the corresponding average number of common shares outstanding.

How to use the metric:

Investors use Dividend Per Share (TTM) to understand a company’s historical dividend run-rate based on audited or officially reported figures. It is useful for:

• Comparing dividend levels across companies and sectors

• Calculating TTM dividend yield and dividend payout ratios

• Assessing how consistently a company has rewarded shareholders over the recent past, including any extra or special distributions

Limitations:

• Lagging: Dividend increases or cuts after the last reported quarter are not yet reflected.

• Extra / Special items: Large extra or special dividends in the last four quarters can temporarily overstate the company’s “normal” dividend level.

• Reporting / Classification: The result depends on how the company labels and reports dividends (regular vs. extra vs. special), which can change over time.

Applies to:

• Companies with regular, recurring dividend policies

• Situations where investors want a financial-statement-based, historical view of dividends per share for trend analysis, screening, or back-testing

Doesn’t apply to:

• Very recent dividend changes after the last financial statements were filed

• Companies with sporadic or highly irregular dividends where a four-quarter snapshot does not represent a typical year

Summary:

Dividend Per Share (TTM) shows what a company has reported paying out in dividends per share over the trailing twelve months in its financial statements. It includes regular, extra, and special dividend distributions as reported and is reliable for comparison, but may lag current reality if dividend policies or one-off events have changed since the last reporting period.