High interim dividends from five companies

According to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, 116 companies listed on both the SET and the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI) said they would pay interim dividend worth a total of Bt118.7 billion, which is 1.4 per cent up from the Bt117.12 billion paid in the same period last year.
SET president Charamporn Jotikasthira said that though most listed companies earned less in net profit in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year due to rising costs of energy, labour and raw materials, they have continued paying high dividends.
“This is the second year for listed companies to pay interim dividend worth more than Bt100 billion,” he said.
Of the 116 companies, he said 17 firms listed on the MAI had paid Bt493 million, which was 42 per cent more than the 37 per cent paid out in the same period last year.
Apart from paying interim dividend, three listed companies also paid stock dividend worth Bt1.5 billion for the first half. The companies were DSG International (Thailand), Home Products Centre and Nippon Pack (Thailand).
The industries that have paid the highest dividends are the information and technology sector; energy and infrastructure; banking; construction raw materials; and food and beverage sector. Companies in these sectors paid a combined interim dividend of Bt99.65 billion or 84 per cent of the total interim dividend payment this year.