Costamare Raises Quarterly Dividend 8.7% to $0.125

Costamare Inc. (NYSE: CMRE) raised its quarterly cash dividend to $0.125 per share from $0.115, an increase of 8.7%. The shares had an ex-dividend date of July 21, 2026.

The new rate equates to an annual dividend of $0.50 per share. At the supplied share price of $15.46, that represents a forward annual yield of 3.23%.

Context for the increase

The increase begins a one-year streak of consecutive dividend growth for Costamare. The company previously reduced its dividend in 2016, and its official dividend history shows that the prior quarterly rate had remained in place across multiple distributions before the latest increase.

Management had foreshadowed the move in its first-quarter report, saying it intended to recommend that the board approve a higher common dividend beginning with the second quarter of 2026. The same filing reported 16 shipbuilding contracts backed by long-term charters, representing $2.8 billion of incremental contracted revenue. Costamare did not identify a single factor as the direct reason for the dividend change, but the contracts provide business context for the capital-allocation decision. SEC filing

Costamare describes itself as an owner and provider of containerships for charter. Its current structure follows the 2025 separation of its dry-bulk operations into Costamare Bulkers Holdings, leaving the parent focused on its containership business. Costamare investor relations

What it means for income investors

The higher rate increases the stated quarterly income attached to each common share and lifts the annualized payout to $0.50. SmarterDividends assigns the dividend a safety score of 74 out of 100, corresponding to a B grade.

The one-year growth streak remains short, particularly when considered alongside the 2016 reduction. The 3.23% forward yield also depends on the supplied $15.46 share price and will move as the market price changes. As with any declared quarterly distribution, the safety score and current annualized rate do not guarantee future board approvals.