On the dividend front, anticipation is growing in Piazza Affari for what promises to be one of the most important days of the year.
In fact, on Monday 18 May 2026, 22 companies listed on the Ftse Mib will detach the coupon, rewarding shareholders. Some of the main Italian banking, insurance, energy and industrial groups are involved.
May 2026 dividends
The appetizer, on the dividend front, arrived on April 20th, when 10 companies on the main list distributed coupons. Now the May calendar comes to life with a concentration of payments that concerns over half of the Big Caps of the Italian stock exchange, and not only.
Below are the main listed companies involved:
- A2A – coupon of 0.104 euros per share;
- Amplifon – 0.29;
- General Insurance – 1.64;
- Azimut Holding – 2;
- Avio – coupon of 0.14846;
- Brunello Cucinelli – 1.04;
- Buzzi – 0.70;
- Mps – 0.86;
- Bper – 0.56;
- Diasorin – 1.30;
- Eni – 0.27;
- FinecoBank – 0.79;
- Inwit – 0.5543;
- Intesa SanPaolo – 0.19;
- Italgas – 0.432;
- Lottomatica – 0.44;
- Moncler – 1.40;
- Nexi – 0.30;
- Recorded – 1.34;
- Saipem – 0.17;
- Unipol – 1.12;
- Tenaris – 0.5106 (dollars).
It is a varied list that includes traditionally “drawer” stocks (A2A, Assicurazioni Generali, Eni, Intesa Sanpaolo), companies that push for revenue growth and international expansion (Moncler, Brunello Cucinelli, Diasorin), groups more exposed to economic cycles (Buzzi, Avio, Saipem) and more dynamic companies (Azimut Holding).
How ex-dividend dates, record dates and payment work
It is worth remembering the basics: the ex-dividend date, also called the ex-dividend date, coincides with the moment in which the right to the coupon is separated from the listed security. From that day the share price normally tends to record a technical drop equal to the amount distributed.
The ex-dividend date usually precedes the actual payment date by two days. Another important reference is the record date, i.e. the day on which the company verifies who owns the shares and is therefore entitled to receive the dividend.
In the case of the 22 Ftse Mib companies involved on May 18th, the coupon payment will arrive on May 20th.
But the dividend calendar will begin on Monday 11 May, when another 16 companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange will distribute coupons to shareholders. These include Bologna Airport (0.35 euros per share), Italian Wine Brands (0.5), Orsero (0.5) and Zignago Vetro (0.22). And payments are also expected from Ecomembrane, Industrie Chimiche Forestali, Initiatives Bresciane, Intred, Marzocchi Pompe, Planetel, Plc, Porto Aviation, Rating Force, Saccheria Franceschetti, TPS and Valtecne.
Global dividends
According to Vanguard’s Global Payout Pulse report, global dividends reached $421 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 6.7% from the same period a year earlier.
The main push came from North America, where listed companies distributed a total of 205 billion dollars. The large US banks were especially highlighted, supported by the passing of the Federal Reserve’s stress tests. Europe also showed positive signs, with distributions increasing by 34% to $68 billion. As for Italy, Vanguard estimates that between March 2025 and March 2026, listed companies distributed almost 44 billion euros in dividends, up 13.6% compared to the previous year.
Thus explained Viktor Nossek, Head of Investment & Product Strategic Intelligence at Vanguard Europe, quoted by Sun 24 Hours:
The distribution of dividends in Italy has followed the positive trend of the last five years, a period characterized by more intense inflationary pressures, due to the war in Ukraine, and by more restrictive monetary conditions than the current ones.
