When is BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (BME) next ex-dividend date?
BlackRock Health Sciences Trust's next ex-dividend date is confirmed for October 15, 2026 ($0.2621 per share) — you must own the shares before that date to be entitled to the dividend. It is scheduled to be paid on October 30, 2026.
BME dividend at a glance
| Most recent payment | $0.262 per share, August 14, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Indicated annual dividend | $3.144 per share, at the current rate and cadence |
| Payment frequency | Monthly |
| Change over the past year | Held at $0.262 |
| 5-year growth rate | 5.5% a year, compounded ($0.20 → $0.262) |
| Typical announcement lead | Declared about 12 days before the ex-date, across 155 announcements |
| Typical time to payment | Paid about 16 days after the ex-date |
| History on file | 181 payments since June 2005 |
Confirmed upcoming ex-dividend date
The date BlackRock Health Sciences Trust has officially declared. There are no estimates beside it: we don't publish predicted ex-dates for BME, so this table shows only what the company has announced.
| Ex-date | Status | Amount | Declared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | ✓ confirmed | $0.2621 | Sep 10, 2026 |
BlackRock Health Sciences Trust's dividend schedule
BlackRock Health Sciences Trust has paid monthly across the 21 years of records we hold, with the most recent ex-date on August 14, 2026. Its ex-dates usually land in the middle of the month.
Across the 155 announcements we have on file, BME declares a dividend a median of 12 days before the shares go ex. That is roughly how much notice BME gives you before each ex-date, once its board declares. The cash then arrives about 16 days after the ex-date.
BME dividend history
The last 16 payments on record, of 181 going back to June 2005.
| Ex-date | Amount |
|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Jul 15, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | $0.262 |
| May 15, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Apr 15, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Mar 13, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Feb 13, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Jan 20, 2026 | $0.262 |
| Dec 22, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Nov 14, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Oct 15, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Sep 15, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Jul 15, 2025 | $0.262 |
| Jun 13, 2025 | $0.262 |
| May 15, 2025 | $0.262 |
Amounts are per share as reported on each ex-date, and are not restated for later share splits — a split shows up here as a step down in the per-share amount. Shown for schedule context, not as a yield.
Special dividends
Payments well outside BME's regular rate. These are one-offs — they are excluded from the growth figures above, and they are not assumed to recur, so they do not feed the predicted dates.
| Ex-date | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2016 | $0.80 |
| Dec 16, 2015 | $4.749 |
| Dec 18, 2014 | $2.535 |
| Dec 18, 2013 | $2.34 |
| Dec 19, 2012 | $1.234 |
Going ex-dividend around the same time
Other stocks also confirmed to go ex-dividend within a couple of days of BME's October 15 date:
Or see the full announcement and ex-dividend calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- When is BME's next ex-dividend date?
- BlackRock Health Sciences Trust goes ex-dividend on October 15, 2026 — a date the company has officially declared.
- Do I need to own BME before the ex-dividend date?
- Yes. You must already hold the shares when trading opens on the ex-dividend date to receive the payment. Buying on the ex-date itself is too late — the seller keeps that dividend. See ex-date vs record date vs payment date for how the dates fit together.
- How often does BME pay a dividend?
- BlackRock Health Sciences Trust has historically paid monthly, across 181 payments since June 2005.
- How much does BME pay per share?
- The most recent payment was $0.262 per share, with an ex-date of August 14, 2026. At that rate and frequency the indicated annual dividend is $3.144 a share. This is the cash amount, not a yield — a yield depends on the share price you pay.
- How far in advance does BME announce its dividend?
- A median of 12 days before the ex-date, across the 155 declarations we hold.