Banks announce high dividends as stocks fall
Despite a 9-per cent decline in banking stocks last month, most commercial banks have announced high dividends for their 2019 performance, especially for the second half of the year which will be paid between April and May 2020.
Kasikorn Bank will pay Bt5 dividend per share for 2019, up 25 per cent from Bt4 for the previous year. The bank has already paid Bt0.50 per share for the first-half and will pay another Bt4.50 on April 30 this year, totalling Bt11.96 billion.
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) pays the highest dividend of Bt6.25 per share for 2019, totalling Bt21.22 billion, representing an increase of 13.6 per cent from Bt18.67 billion for the previous year.
The bank has paid Bt1.50 per share for the first period and will pay an interim dividend of Bt0.75per share on February 14, this year. Dividend payments for the second-half of 2019 is scheduled in May at Bt4 per share.
Thanachart Capital (TCAP) will pay a 2019 dividend of Bt5.20 per share, or a total of Bt6.05 billion, up 100 per cent from Bt3.02 billion year on year. The bank has paid an interim dividend of Bt4 per share on January 16 this year by using the remaining cash of Bt14 billion from the merger with TMB Bank, after TCAP had paid a first-half dividend of Bt1.20 per share in October last year.
Bangkok Bank (BBL) had paid an annual dividend of Bt6.50 per share for five years in a row( 2015 to 2018). For 2019, the bank will again pay total dividend of Bt6.50 per share. A Bt4.50 dividend per share for the second half will be paid in May, accounting for a dividend yield of 4.50 per cent a year with a total credit limit of Bt12.4 billion.
Tisco Bank pays dividend once a year. The bank had paid dividends of Bt5 and Bt7 per share for 2017 and 2018. It is expected the bank's dividend for 2019 will not be lower than that of the previous year.