Telecom giant Bharti Airtel Ltd. has announced Friday, July 24, 2026, as the record date for its final dividend of Rs 24 per fully paid-up equity share for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26). This significant declaration is subject to the crucial approval of shareholders at the company's 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for Monday, August 3, 2026.
Dividend Details and Eligibility
The Board of Directors initially recommended this final dividend on May 13, 2026. In addition to the Rs 24 per fully paid-up share (face value Rs 5 each), a dividend of Rs 6 per partly paid-up equity share (face value Rs 5 each, Rs 1.25 paid-up) has also been proposed for shares where call money remains unpaid.
For shareholders to be eligible for this dividend, their names must appear in the company's register of members or depository records by the close of business hours on the record date, July 24, 2026. Following shareholder approval at the AGM, the dividend, after deduction of tax at source, will be disbursed to eligible members within 30 days from the approval date.
It is important for investors to note the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) T+1 settlement cycle. This means investors must purchase Bharti Airtel shares at least one trading day before the record date to ensure the shares are credited to their demat accounts in time to qualify for the dividend.
Analyst Expectations and Stock Performance
Ahead of the company's June quarter earnings for Q1 FY27, analysts are providing their outlook. Axis Direct anticipates a 2.8 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) revenue growth for Airtel, primarily driven by subscriber additions and continued expansion in its Africa business operations. However, the brokerage forecasts a 69 basis points QoQ decline in the company's EBIT margin, attributing this to higher operating costs resulting from investments in data centers and network expansion. Key areas for monitoring, according to Axis Direct, include business segment performance, average revenue per user (ARPU) trends, subscriber additions, and the progress of the 5G rollout across its networks.
Elara Capital also projects a positive trajectory for Airtel, expecting double-digit growth in both topline revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA).
During early trading on Friday, Bharti Airtel shares were observed trading 0.79 percent lower at Rs 1,915.20. The stock has experienced a 9.24 percent decline on a year-to-date (YTD) basis.