AT&T's Dividend Costs the Company a Fixed Amount Every Quarter Regardless of Competitive Pressure From Starlink or Cable Rivals. Here's the Coverage Ratio That Actually Determines Whether It's Safe.

AT&T (NYSE: T) is part of a cellphone oligopoly in the United States. Essentially, the telecom giant and its main competitors dominate the sector, making it difficult for a newcomer to break in. However, that hasn't stopped companies from trying, including cable operators offering bundled services and, perhaps, even Space Exploration Corporation's (NASDAQ: SPCX) Starlink. Here's how investors should view AT&T's ability to maintain its well-above-market 4.4% dividend yield as more companies try to break into the lucrative cellphone market.

Competition has always been intense

The first thing to consider when looking at AT&T's business is the competitive landscape. It has always been intense, as the members of the cellphone oligopoly fight tooth and nail for market share. There's a good reason for that, however: customer revenues tend to be annuity-like. That provides a solid foundation for paying the dividend. And while the involvement of cable companies and SpaceX increases competition, AT&T should be able to hold its own as a business.

Image source: Getty Images.

That big picture view of the situation, however, doesn't mean it will be able to continue paying its dividend at the current level. Most investors assessing dividend support will look to the payout ratio to determine whether the company can continue paying nearly $2 billion in dividends each quarter. The 36% trailing 12-month payout ratio suggests the answer is yes.

But that $2 billion in dividends number came from the cash flow statement, not the income statement, where earnings live. This is because earnings aren't what pay the dividend; cash flow is. When you compare the dividend to cash flow, using the cash dividend payout ratio, you get a slightly lower coverage rate of 45%. That, however, still looks like ample coverage.

AT&T paid less in dividends year over year

There's another factor to consider here, as well. AT&T uses its cash flow for many purposes, including buying back shares. In the first half of 2026, it repurchased $4.669 billion worth of stock. The reduced share count benefited the company by lowering its dividend outlay, which dropped from $4.135 billion in the first half of 2025 to $3.973 billion in the same period of 2026. So the dividend is actually on even stronger footing now than it was just a year ago. If you are a dividend investor, there doesn't appear to be a material reason to worry about AT&T's dividend right now.

Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.