These 6 Blue-Chip Stocks Have Ex-Dividend Dates in the Next Week

When it comes to investing in dividend stocks, staying on top of important dates is crucial. Companies have varying dividend payment schedules, with some paying quarterly, others annually or semi-annually, and a select few being monthly dividend stocks.

Moreover, simply buying a stock on the payment date won’t entitle you to receive a dividend. To be eligible for a dividend, you must own the stock before the ex-dividend date, which typically precedes the payment date by several weeks.

Our weekly blue-chip dividend calendar serves as a handy tool to help you monitor upcoming dividends from some of the market’s most valuable stocks. This week’s blue-chip ex-dividend dates feature prominent tech and biotech companies, along with a notable retailer.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 8, 2025

• Payment date: Dec. 15, 2025

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, ranks as the third-largest tech firm globally, following Amazon and Apple. It leads the way in various cutting-edge technologies like AI and self-driving cars. Alphabet opts for a modest dividend approach, preferring to reinvest most of its earnings rather than distribute them to shareholders.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 8, 2025

• Payment date: Dec. 16, 2025

UnitedHealth Group stands as the largest health insurance provider in the U.S. and boasts a track record of consistent dividend growth.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 12, 2025

• Payment date: Jan. 5, 2026

Walmart holds the title of the world’s largest retailer and is classified as a dividend aristocrat, denoting an S&P 500 entity that has raised its dividend payout annually for a minimum of 25 years.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 15, 2025

• Payment date: Dec. 23, 2025

Meta Platforms, the corporate parent of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp, along with VR headset manufacturer Meta Quest (formerly Oculus), commenced dividend distributions in March 2024. It has steadily increased its quarterly dividends since then.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 15, 2025

• Payment date: Jan. 8, 2026

Merck & Co. ranks among the largest pharmaceutical firms worldwide, with a significant portion of its revenue stemming from cancer immunotherapies like Keytruda. The company has consistently elevated its quarterly dividend distributions for over ten years.

• Ex-dividend date: Dec. 15, 2025

• Payment date: Jan. 15, 2026

Thermo Fisher Scientific stands as a major provider of laboratory equipment to the healthcare and life sciences sectors. The company has steadily increased its dividend yield for more than five years.