Nordic American Tankers Raises Quarterly Dividend

Nordic American Tankers Limited raised its quarterly dividend to $0.22 per share from $0.17, an increase of 29.41%, with the shares set to trade ex-dividend on June 10, 2026.

Based on the new rate, NAT’s annualized dividend is $0.88 per share. At the locked share price of $5.15, the forward annual yield is 17.09%.

Context

The Bermuda-registered tanker owner, listed on the NYSE under the ticker NAT, focuses on Suezmax crude tankers. The company describes itself as operating a Suezmax-only fleet and says its dividend policy is tied to net operating cash flow after board-determined reserves, financing terms, other cash needs and Bermuda law. Nordic American Tankers dividend policy

The increase was announced alongside NAT’s first-quarter 2026 report. In that release, the company said market conditions for its vessels were the strongest in decades and pointed to improved chartering conditions as supporting cash generation. Management also said the fleet consisted of 18 vessels as of March 31, 2026, with two additional ships on order. NAT first-quarter 2026 report release

NAT’s own fleet page lists its operating vessels as Suezmax tankers and shows two newbuildings scheduled for 2028 delivery, reinforcing the company’s narrow exposure to the crude-tanker market. NAT fleet page

The dividend increase does not establish a long dividend-growth streak under the locked data. NAT has 0 consecutive growth years and previously cut its dividend in 2024, underscoring the variability of payouts in a tanker business where earnings and cash flow can move with freight markets.

What it means for income investors

For income investors, the immediate effect is a higher quarterly cash payout and a double-digit forward annual yield based on the locked share price. The tradeoff is that NAT’s dividend profile remains cyclical: the payout is linked to operating cash flow, and the locked dividend safety score is 39 out of 100, with a D safety grade. That makes the increase notable, but not the same as a long-running, steadily compounded dividend-growth record.