FirstEnergy Raises Quarterly Dividend 4.5% to $0.465 and Cuts Balloon Outages 27%
FirstEnergy’s board approved a 4.5% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.465 per share, lifting the 2026 annual payout to $1.86 from $1.78. Metallic balloon-related outages dropped 27% from 132 in 2020 to 96 in 2025, with 24 incidents at JCP&L prompting urges for safer foil balloon handling.
1. Board Approves Dividend Boost
The board of FirstEnergy declared a quarterly dividend of $0.465 per share payable June 1, 2026 to shareholders of record as of May 7. This marks a 4.5% increase from the prior quarterly payout and sets the 2026 annual rate at $1.86 per share versus $1.78 in 2025, in line with a 60%-70% core earnings payout target.
2. Decline in Balloon-Related Outages
FirstEnergy reported 96 foil balloon-related outages across its service area in 2025, down from 132 in 2020—a 27% reduction. JCP&L led with 24 incidents, and the company is advising customers to secure or deflate metallic balloons to prevent contact with power lines and potential service disruptions.