# Big Banks Pay Similar Dividends, Balance Sheets Reveal Safety Gap

> Four major U.S. banks raised dividends recently with yields near 2.3%, but their balance sheets show a safety gap separating fortress payers from recent cutters.
- Title: Big Banks Pay Similar Dividends, Balance Sheets Reveal Safety…
- Summary: Four major U.S. banks raised dividends recently with yields near 2.3%, but their balance sheets show a safety gap separating fortress payers from recent…
- Keywords: jpmorgan chase, citigroup, wells fargo, bank of america, dividend, balance sheet, yield, cet1 ratio, dividend cut, Big, Banks, Pay
- Source: 24/7 Wall St. — https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/10/22/these-4-big-banks-pay-similar-dividends-their-balance-sheets-tell-another-story
- Author: Chris Lange
- Published: 2026-10-22T15:45:32+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: jpmorgan chase, citigroup, wells fargo, bank of america, dividend, balance sheet, yield, cet1 ratio, dividend cut
## Big Banks Raise Dividends
America's four biggest banks all raised their quarterly payouts within the past six months: JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America.
## Yields Within 0.1% Range
The group's best yield is only 2.3%, with all four banks having yields within a razor-thin range.
## JPMorgan Chase: Fortress Payer
JPMorgan yields 1.83% at a share price near $333 with the strongest safety numbers among the four banks.
## JPMorgan's Safety Metrics
The board raised the quarterly dividend to $1.65 from $1.50, with a trailing payout ratio of 25.8% and a standardized CET1 ratio of 13.9%.
## JPMorgan's Track Record
JPMorgan cut its quarterly payout from $0.38 to $0.05 in 2009 but held the dividend at $0.90 per quarter in 2020.
## Citigroup: Lowest Payout Ratio
Citigroup yields 2.03% at about $122.61 with a trailing payout ratio near 24.1% and a CET1 ratio of 12.8%.
## Citigroup's Safety Metrics
Citigroup has more than $1 trillion of available liquidity and a CET1 ratio margin of 120 basis points above the regulatory floor.
## Citigroup's Track Record
Citigroup cut its quarterly payout to $0.01 in 2009 and held it at $0.51 during the pandemic before raising it four times.
## Wells Fargo: Most Recent Cut
Wells Fargo cut its quarterly payout from $0.51 to $0.10 in 2020 and has raised it every year since 2022.
## Bank of America: Highest Yield
Bank of America offers the group's top yield at 2.3% with shares near $50.45 and a trailing payout ratio of 27.6%.
## Ranking the Four Banks
JPMorgan ranks first with the strongest safety metrics, Citigroup ranks second on the lowest payout ratio, and Wells Fargo comes last due to its 2020 cut.
## Key takeaway

JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America all raised dividends recently with yields within 0.1% of each other, but their balance sheets reveal a safety gap that separates a fortress payer from a bank that cut its payout as recently as 2020.