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A total of 119 companies listed on The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and Market for Alternative Investment (mai) have announced interim dividend payment of a combined THB 97.38 billion (approx. USD 3.04 billion) for the first half of 2014.
SET Senior Vice President Paveena Sriphothong said that as of August 22, there were 119 companies consisting of 100 SET-listed firms (excluding property funds) that had announced dividends for the first six months of 2014, for a total worth of THB 96.85 billion, combined with 19 mai-listed firms with dividends worth THB 528 million. The total payout ratio of SET- and mai-listed companies was relatively stable at 63.68 percent, compared with H1/2013
“The total value of interim dividends that has been officially announced is higher than a year ago. Later on, after all announcements are made, it will likely be another record high y-o-y, compared to the 130-billion-baht record last year because a number of listed companies that have registered net profits with constant records of interim dividend payouts in the past years, with announcements might be made later. A significant portion of dividends this time came from businesses with outstanding performances during the first half of this year and from listed companies that having firm policy that calls for high dividend payouts,” Paveena said.
“Listed firms’ net profits that have continued to increase alongside dividend payouts rise in the past five years show their capabilities to maintain their profit growth momentum and at the level that enables them to pay good dividends to investors while complying with their dividend payout policies. It shows that Thailand’s listed companies have high financial discipline and best practice towards shareholders,” Paveena added.
The top-5 SET-listed firms which paid the highest dividends were: Advanced Info Service pcl (ADVANC), Intouch Holdings pcl (INTUCH), PTT Exploration and Production pcl (PTTEP), Total Access Communication pcl (DTAC) and Siam Cement pcl (SCC). Their aggregate interim dividends were THB 57.64 billion, or 59.52 percent of SET’s total interim dividends by value.
On mai, the top-5 listed firms with the highest interim dividend payments were: Union Auction pcl (AUCT), Unimit Engineering pcl (UEC), Fortune Parts Industry pcl (FPI),
Sherwood Chemicals pcl (SWC) and One To One Contacts pcl (OTO). Their payouts totaled THB 259 million, or 48.96 percent of mai’s total dividends.
In addition to dividend payouts, five listed companies also announced an interim stock dividend, including Bangkok Life Assurance pcl (BLA), Mono Technology pcl (MONO), Senadevelopment pcl (SENA), TV Direct pcl (TVD) and Srivichaivejvivat pcl (VIH), with combined value of THB 2.83 billion.
The top-sectors that have made the highest dividend payouts were: Information & Communication Technology, Energy & Utilities, Construction Materials, Petrochemicals & Chemicals, and Food & Beverage, with the combined dividend value of THB 80.62 billion or 82.79 percent of the total interim dividends.
