A total of 236.94 billion baht ($7.7 billion) was paid out to shareholders for 2020, down 128.47 billion baht from 365.41 billion baht in 2019. THE NATION/ANN
Dividends paid by companies listed on Thailand’s SET50 Index (excluding OR, SCGP and BAM) in 2020 fell 35.15 per cent compared to 2019.
A total of 236.94 billion baht ($7.7 billion) was paid out to shareholders for 2020, down 128.47 billion baht from 365.41 billion baht in 2019, due to Covid-19’s impact on the economy.
Listed companies that paid higher dividends were – B Grimm Power (BGRIM): 0.45 baht per share compared to 0.37 baht in 2019; Total Access Communication (DTAC): 2.12 baht per share compared to 1.61 baht in 2019; Krungthai Bank (KTB): 0.75 baht per share compared to 0.72 baht in 2019; and TOA Paint (Thailand) (TOA): 0.53 baht per share compared to 0.50 baht in 2019.
Listed companies that paid the same dividend as in 2019 – Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS): 0.55 baht per share; Bumrungrad Hospital (BH): 3.20 baht per share; Energy Absolute (EA): 0.30 baht per share; and Electricity Generating (Egco): 6.50 baht per share.
Listed companies that paid lower dividends – PTT: one baht per share compared to two baht in 2019; PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP): 4.25 baht per share compared to six baht in 2019; PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC): one baht per share compared to two baht in 2019; and Intouch Holdings (INTUCH): 2.62 baht per share compared to 2.50 baht in 2019.
Manpong Senanarong, Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) senior executive vice-president and head of the issuer and listing division, said listed companies’ profit last year had dropped almost 50 per cent due to Covid-19.
“However, some businesses that gained positive sentiment from the Covid-19 outbreak were able to pay high dividends,” he said, adding that he expected listed companies to pay high dividends this year in line with economic recovery and the progress of Covid-19 vaccination.
Maybank Kim Eng Securities research department strategist Wijit Arayapisit said SET50-listed companies’ dividend yield dropped to two per cent compared to three per cent before Covid-19, citing Bloomberg data.
He added that some listed companies had issued stocks in dividends instead of cash in a bid to deal with uncertainties.
“Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand has instructed commercial banks to pay dividends not more than what was paid in 2019 and not exceeding 50 per cent of their 2020 net profit,” Wijit said.
THE NATION (THAILAND)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
