Top 5 dividend stocks to watch in the UAE in 2025

What are dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks are shares of companies that pay a sum of money to their shareholders – this is known as a dividend. It’s typically a percentage of the company’s profits and can be paid once-off or regularly, such as quarterly. The board of directors ultimately determines how much to pay in dividends.

In addition to the hope that the share price will rise, dividends enable stock traders to earn money from their investments.

Why UAE dividend stocks are attractive

UAE dividend stocks offer unique advantages for investors:

• Strong regulatory framework through ADGM and DIFC¹⁶
• Growing market with Vision 2071 diversification plans¹⁷
• Access to regional growth through UAE-listed companies

What percentage of the profits do investors get?

The amount of money stock traders receive in a dividend depends on how much stock they own – the number of shares they have invested in a particular company.

Do all public companies pay dividends?

Not all public companies pay dividends. Some prefer to reinvest their profits back into the business to drive growth, so that the share price will rise.

Companies in a high-growth phase of their development will often choose to reinvest their profits to keep expanding.

Advantages of dividend stocks

The main advantage of stock trading dividend stocks is that you’ll see a return on your investment at some point, either once-off or at regular intervals.

In addition, companies that pay dividends tend to be well-established, so they’re often a less risky investment. However, all investments come with inherent perils, so a risk management strategy is crucial.

If you reinvest your dividends into your stock, you’ll benefit from compounded growth, which occurs when your returns generate additional returns. 

Disadvantages of dividend stocks

The risks of trading dividend stocks are important to be aware of.

For starters, a dividend is never guaranteed; companies might choose to stop dividend payments when the business is struggling financially or if there’s economic turmoil.

Similarly, companies that abruptly stop or reduce dividends might well be under financial strain, and the share price could subsequently drop because of this.

Finally, as interest rates rise, dividends can become worth less, particularly when compared with government securities.

Top 5 dividend stocks to watch in the UAE

Let’s look at five dividend stocks in the UAE you’ll want to keep an eye on right now.

1. Emirates NBD Bank PJSC (DFM: ENBD)
 

Industry: Banking

Dividend yield: 4.35%¹

Market cap: AED 145.28 billion¹

Current focus: Employing data analytics, expanding wealth management and promoting sustainable finance.

Emirates NBD Bank PJSC was established in 2007 when the National Bank of Dubai and Emirates Bank International merged.

It’s largely owned by the government (56%) and is the main bank of Dubai. It has a presence in 13 countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Turkey, the UK and Austria, with a focus on the MENAT region.

It offers a wide range of financial services, such as Islamic banking, investment banking and asset management.

Emirates NBD Bank also has a think tank, named Future Lab, which is used to test strategies for future-proofing the bank.

Highlights:

• Total assets have surpassed AED 1 trillion
• Strong lending growth from its international audience
• The largest financial institution in Dubai

2. Emaar Properties PJSC (DFM: EMAAR)

Industry: Real estate

Dividend yield: 7.35%²

Market cap: AED 118.88 billion³

Current focus: Innovative real estate development and enhancing customer experience.

Emaar Properties PJSC participates in property investment, retail, hospitality and property management for shopping malls, as well as the hospitality and leisure industries. It manages hotels and resorts, such as The Address Hotels. The company also invests in financial services providers.

It’s committed to ESG, with its primary pillars being:

• Safeguarding the environment
• Maximising social value
• Ensuring strong governance and business ethics

Emaar Properties developed the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai, a soaring skyscraper, as well as the massive Dubai Mall.

Highlights:

• Emaar Development achieved AED 19.3 billion in total property sales as of Q1 2025
• Focus on luxury residences is attracting substantial investor interest
• The company is sustainability conscious and implements environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies

3. First Abu Dhabi Bank (ADX: FAB)

Industry: Banking

Dividend yield: 5.43%⁴

Market cap: AED 182.28 billion⁵

Current focus: Corporate and investment banking and personal banking.

First Abu Dhabi Bank was formed in 2017 through the merger of First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, creating the UAE's largest financial institution.

It has a diversified business platform, which spans corporate banking, investment banking, private banking and retail services across multiple international markets.

FAB's strategic positioning as ‘the UAE's global bank’ has enabled it to benefit from the country's economic diversification – away from oil dependency.

Highlights:

• Positioned to benefit from UAE's continued economic diversification, wealth inflows, and stable political environment
• Successfully building international presence while maintaining domestic market dominance in a high-growth region
• Maintains strong capital ratios, disciplined risk management, and AA- credit rating from major agencies⁶

4. National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah (PSC) (ADX: RAKBANK)

Industry: Banking

Dividend yield: 7.35%⁷

Market cap: AED 13.67 billion⁸

Current focus: Concentrating on its core business, like personal and business banking, along with diversifying into the financial institutions, wholesale and treasury businesses.

Also known as RAKBANK, the National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah is one of the oldest banks in the UAE, having been established in 1976. Fitch Ratings gives RAKBANK a BBB+ with a stable outlook.⁹ It’s consistently profitable and is focused on data analytics and innovation investment.

It has a digital banking offering, including a mobile app, and provides Sharia-compliant banking services through RAKislamic.

One of its most notable subsidiaries is Protego Insurance, a platform for comparing insurance options.

The bank has made profits of over AED 2 billion and its sales figure is to the tune of nearly AED 7 billion.¹⁰

Highlights:

• The government of Ras Al-Khaimah holds a 52.76% stake in the bank as of April 2025
• Strategic shift towards secured assets, boasting a cost of risk percentage of just 0.8%
• Heavy investment in tech, data and customer experience

5. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company For Distribution (ADNOC Distribution) (ADX: ADNOCDIST)

Industry: Energy and retail

Dividend yield: 5.59%¹¹

Market cap: AED 46 billion¹²

Current focus: Fuel distribution and convenience stores.

ADNOC Distribution is the UAE's largest fuel and convenience retailer¹⁸. It operates hundreds of service stations around the UAE and has strong backing by the Abu Dhabi government, providing financial stability and strategic support for expansion plans.

Its business model includes fuel distribution, lubricants manufacturing and convenience retail, positioning it to capture value across the energy retail chain. The company has also been investing in sustainable energy solutions and electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of the UAE's energy transition strategy.

Highlights:

• Annual dividend of AED 2.57 billion (AED 0.2057 per share) or a minimum 75% of net profit for 2024 – 2028¹³
• Five-year growth plan focusing on convenience retail and mobility services, diversifying revenue streams beyond traditional fuel sales
• Investing in EV charging infrastructure and clean energy solutions, positioning itself for the UAE’s energy transition

How to trade dividend stocks with IG UAE

CFDs

1. Open a CFD trading account with IG UAE
2. Search for dividend stocks on the IG platform
3. Decide whether to go long (buy) or short (sell)
4. Choose your position size
5. Set stop-loss and limit orders
6. Place your trade and monitor it 

Stock trading

1. Open a stock trading account with IG UAE
2. Search for dividend stocks available for direct ownership
3. Choose the stock you want to buy
4. Determine how many stocks you want to purchase
5. Place your order
6. Monitor your investment 

FAQs about dividend stocks

Footnotes
 

1. ^{_{Trading View, June 2025}}
2. ^{_{Emaar Properties, June 2025}}
3. ^{Reuters, June 2025}
4. ^{_{Trading Economics, June 2025}}
5. ^{_{Reuters, June 2025}}
6. ^{_{FAB, June 2025}}
7. ^{_{Trading View, June 2025}}
8. ^{_{Reuters, June 2025}}
9. ^{_{Fitch Ratings, 2025}}
10. ^{_{Forbes, 2025}}
11. ^{_{Trading View, June 2025}}
12. ^{_{Reuters, June 2025}}
13. ^{_{ADNOC Distribution, June 2025}}
14. GuruFocus.com - "Emirates NBD PJSC (DFM:EMIRATESNBD) Dividend Yield % as of today (June 20, 2025) is 4.80%
15. ^{_{Dividends Ranking, 2025}}
16. ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) and DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) are leading financial free zones in the UAE
17. UAE Vision 2071 is the government's long-term strategic plan to make the UAE the world's leading nation by 2071
18. By number of service stations and market share in fuel retail sector