Sun Life boosts quarterly dividend to $0.96

Sun Life Financial Inc. is increasing its regular cash return to shareholders.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Sun Life Financial Inc. is increasing its regular cash return to shareholders. The Board declared a $0.96 per common share dividend, payable on June 30, 2026 to shareholders of record on May 27, 2026, representing a $0.04 increase from the previous quarter.

The Board also declared quarterly dividends on several series of Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, with per-share amounts ranging from $0.185438 to $0.281250, payable on the same dates. Common shares acquired through the Canadian Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan will be bought on the open market. All dividends are designated as eligible dividends for Canadian tax purposes. As of March 31, 2026, Sun Life reported $1.58 trillion in assets under management.

Insights

Dividend policy analyst

Sun Life modestly lifts its common dividend while maintaining preferred share payouts.

Sun Life’s Board declared a $0.96 per-share common dividend, a $0.04 increase from the prior quarter. This signals continued willingness to return cash to shareholders alongside ongoing preferred share dividends across multiple Class A series.

The company also notes assets under management of $1.58 trillion as of March 31, 2026, underscoring its large scale. Dividend reinvestment purchases will be executed in the open market under the Canadian plan, which avoids additional share issuance via a discount program in this announcement.

Key Figures

Common dividend: $0.96 per share Dividend increase: $0.04 per share Preferred Series 3 dividend: $0.278125 per share +4 more

7 metrics

Common dividend $0.96 per share Declared for payment on June 30, 2026

Dividend increase $0.04 per share Increase versus previous quarter’s common dividend

Preferred Series 3 dividend $0.278125 per share Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Series 3, payable June 30, 2026

Preferred Series 5 dividend $0.281250 per share Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Series 5, payable June 30, 2026

Preferred Series 10R dividend $0.185438 per share Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Series 10R, payable June 30, 2026

Preferred Series 11QR dividend $0.271816 per share Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Series 11QR, payable June 30, 2026

Assets under management $1.58 trillion Total AUM as of March 31, 2026

Key Terms

Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan, eligible dividends, assets under management

4 terms

Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares financial

"The Board also announced that the following dividends have been declared on the Company's Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares"

Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan financial

"Common shares of the Company acquired under the Company's Canadian Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan (the "Plan") will be purchased"

A dividend reinvestment and share purchase plan lets shareholders automatically use cash dividends to buy additional shares and often make optional extra purchases directly from the company, sometimes at a reduced fee or price. For investors this acts like an automatic savings program that compounds returns over time, increases ownership without active trading, and changes cash income into growing stock exposure, which can affect portfolio income and voting stakes.

eligible dividends financial

"Sun Life Financial Inc. has designated the dividends referred to above as eligible dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada)."

Eligible dividends are a type of corporate payout that carries a stronger tax benefit for individual shareholders because they come from profits that were taxed at higher corporate rates. Think of them like a higher-value coupon: investors receive cash and, when filing taxes, get a bigger credit that reduces the amount of tax owed on that income. That matters to investors because the after-tax amount they actually keep can be noticeably higher than for other kinds of dividends, affecting yield comparisons and portfolio income planning.

assets under management financial

"As of March 31, 2026, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.58 trillion."

Assets under management (AUM) is the total value of all the investments that a financial company or fund is responsible for overseeing on behalf of its clients. It’s like a big bucket that shows how much money the firm is managing for people or organizations. A higher AUM often indicates a larger, more trusted company, and it can influence how much money they earn and the services they can offer.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What dividend did Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) declare on its common shares for Q2 2026?

Sun Life declared a $0.96 per share dividend on its common shares. The dividend is payable on June 30, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 27, 2026, and represents a $0.04 increase from the previous quarter’s payment.

How much did Sun Life increase its common share dividend compared with the prior quarter?

The common share dividend was increased by $0.04 per share. Sun Life’s Board lifted the quarterly dividend to $0.96 per share, up four cents from the amount paid in the previous quarter, reflecting a modest enhancement in cash returns to common shareholders.

What preferred share dividends did Sun Life (SLF) declare for payment on June 30, 2026?

Sun Life declared specific per-share dividends on several Class A Preferred Series. These include $0.278125 on Series 3 and 4, $0.281250 on Series 5, $0.264375 on Series 8R, $0.224446 on Series 9QR, $0.185438 on Series 10R, and $0.271816 on Series 11QR.

When is the record date for Sun Life’s Q2 2026 common and preferred dividends?

The record date for all announced Sun Life dividends is May 27, 2026. Shareholders of record at the close of business on that date will be entitled to receive the common and Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Share dividends, which are payable on June 30, 2026.

How are shares acquired under Sun Life’s Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan handled?

Common shares under the Plan will be bought on the open market. The Plan agent will purchase shares through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange and other Canadian exchanges and trading platforms, rather than issuing new shares under this announcement.

What is Sun Life Financial Inc.’s reported assets under management as of March 31, 2026?

Sun Life reported total assets under management of $1.58 trillion. This figure, stated as of March 31, 2026, highlights the company’s substantial global scale in asset management, wealth, insurance, and health solutions across multiple international markets.

How are Sun Life’s Q2 2026 dividends treated for Canadian tax purposes?

Sun Life has designated the announced dividends as eligible dividends. For Canadian taxpayers, eligible dividends receive preferential tax treatment under the Income Tax Act (Canada), which may result in more favorable after-tax income compared with non-eligible dividend classifications.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Accepted by SEC EDGAR 05/06/2026 - 06:05 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of May 2026 Commission File Number: 001-15014

SUN LIFE FINANCIAL INC.

(Translation of registrant's name into English)

1 York Street, 31st Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 0B6

(Address of principal executive offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F ☐ Form 40-F ☒

Exhibits		Description
99.1		News Release dated May 6, 2026

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. 

		Sun Life Financial Inc. (Registrant)
Date: May 6, 2026		By:		/s/ “Kevin Armitage”
				Kevin Armitage
				AVP & Managing Counsel, Corporate Legal

Exhibit 99.1

 

Sun Life increases Common Share dividend and declares dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Q2 2026

TORONTO, May 6, 2026 /CNW/ - The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Sun Life Financial Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) today announced that a dividend of $0.96 per share on the common shares of the Company has been declared, payable June 30, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 27, 2026. This represents a 4 cent increase to the amount paid in the previous quarter.

The Board also announced that the following dividends have been declared on the Company's Class A Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, payable on June 30, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 27, 2026:

Series 3	$0.278125 per share
Series 4	$0.278125 per share
Series 5	$0.281250 per share
Series 8R	$0.264375 per share
Series 9QR	$0.224446 per share
Series 10R	$0.185438 per share
Series 11QR	$0.271816 per share

Common shares of the Company acquired under the Company's Canadian Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan (the "Plan") will be purchased by the Plan agent on the open market through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange and through the facilities of other Canadian stock exchanges and alternative Canadian trading platforms.

Sun Life Financial Inc. has designated the dividends referred to above as eligible dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2026, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.58 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars.

To contact Sun Life media relations, please email Media.Relations@sunlife.com.

To contact Sun Life investor relations, please email Investor_Relations@sunlife.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-life-increases-common-share-dividend-and-declares-dividends-on-preferred-shares-payable-in-q2-2026-302764600.html

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc. - Financial News

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2026/06/c2336.html

%CIK: 0001097362

CO: Sun Life Financial Inc. - Financial News

CNW 17:03e 06-MAY-26

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

2 documents

Press Releases

• EX-991 NEWS RELEASE DATED MAY 6, 2026 7.4 KB
• EX-991 PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION 143.1 KB