Tuesday, 21 July 2015

Investors Earn N233bn in First Half 2015


Investors in the Nigerian Stock Exchange have earned about N233.7 billion from dividend payments in the stock exchange during the first half of 2015.

Reports submitted to the NSE by 64 companies, however, also show that 117 or over 65 per cent  of the quoted companies have either not submitted any report at all or did not declare dividend during the period.

The leading company in the dividend payout record was Dangote Cement Plc which paid a total of N102 billion to its shareholders followed by Zenith Bank Plc which paid a total of N54.4 billion.

Also in the top five dividend pay-outs are GT Bank Plc, Transcorp Hotels Plc and Nestle Foods Plc which paid out N44.1 billion, N14.3billion and N13.9 billion respectively.


Though market analysts were of the view that the pay-outs represented a resilient position for investor-friendly companies at the backdrop of creeping macroeconomic challenges, the full impact of the difficult operating environment would be borne by 2015 full year performance reports.

The dividend pay-outs were for the financial year ended December 2014 and just a few that either ended their full year in the first quarter 2015 or interim dividend from interim results of 2015 first quarter.

Stock market analysts also believe that trends in equity performance in the second half of the year would be driven majorly by half year financial statements of the companies even as hazy macroeconomic outlook persists.

The equity market continued its down trend in June into July 2015. The decrease in the market performance was due to the overwhelming influence of the difficult macroeconomic environment which dampened investors’ sentiments.


Last week the slide hit a high point leading to a loss of N271 billion in one week, wiping out the six months dividend.

The Nigeria Stock Exchange All Share Index (NSE ASI) depreciated by 2.49 per cent on a month-on-month basis to close at 33,456.83 points. The market capitalisation also fell by 2.04 per cent to close at N11.42trillion (USD57.99bn). Year-To-Date as at end-June the Index decreased by 3.46 per cent.

In the overall there has been a general weakness in investors’ sentiments arising from the general macroeconomic conditions that have worsened the profitability of quoted companies at the NSE

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