Middle East dividends reach $44.6bn in Q2 as UAE payouts rise 7.3%
Regional dividend payments climbed 5.5 per cent year-on-year with Saudi Arabia distributing $28.4bn and the UAE $13.6bn, according to Janus Henderson index.
Middle East companies paid out $44.6 billion to shareholders in the second quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 5.5 per cent on an underlying basis, according to the Janus Henderson Global Dividends & Buybacks Index published in September 2026. The region represented 5.9 per cent of global dividend payments during the quarter, with headline growth at 6.9 per cent.
Saudi Arabia distributes $28.4bn in Q2 payouts#
Saudi Arabia distributed $28.4 billion in dividends, representing 63.6 per cent of total Middle East payouts in the quarter. The kingdom recorded underlying dividend growth of 2.4 per cent year-on-year. Saudi Aramco accounted for almost half of all regional dividends and represented 3.1 per cent of the total paid by the 1,500 companies the global index tracks. The company remained the world's largest dividend payer in the quarter.
UAE companies pay $13.6bn with 7.3% underlying growth#
The UAE distributed $13.6 billion in dividends during the second quarter, accounting for 30.4 per cent of the regional total. The UAE recorded underlying growth of 7.3 per cent year-on-year. The UAE accounted for approximately $200 million of regional buyback activity during the quarter, while total Middle East buybacks reached $600 million. Saudi Arabia contributed approximately $100 million to regional buyback activity.
Kuwait and Israel record stronger percentage gains#
Kuwait recorded dividend payments of $1.8 billion in the quarter, with underlying growth of 45 per cent year-on-year. Israel distributed $900 million in dividends, recording underlying growth of 25.2 per cent. The Janus Henderson index tracks 1,500 companies globally and measures both dividend payments and share buyback activity across markets.
Global dividends reach record $757.8bn in Q2#
Global dividend payments totalled $757.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 7.3 per cent on an underlying basis, according to the index. Share buybacks climbed 26.8 per cent to $572 billion during the same period. Janus Henderson projects global dividend growth of 5 to 6 per cent for 2026 and buyback growth of 7 to 8 per cent, citing corporate earnings and cash generation as supporting factors.
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- khaleejtimes.comKhaleej TimesMiddle East dividend payments reached $44.6 billion in Q2 2026, up 5.5% year-on-year, with regional breakdown by country and underlying growth figures from Janus Henderson Global Dividends & Buybacks Index
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