Superprime1 wrote:chiaroscuro wrote:littledove wrote:chiaroscuro wrote:littledove wrote:1.25 dividend (ksh 50b) and a special special dividend of 0.62 (24.84b)
I know Interim Dividends and Final Dividends. What are these things SCOM is calling "Normal" and "Special" Dividend?
normal dividend is final dividend while special dividend is a one off dividend paid out of accumulated reserves
Not really.
In recent years [2015 & 2017], Williamson Tea has paid dividends even after recording net losses. Those dividends were paid from accumulated reserves but they weren't called "Special".
This "special dividend" is a Safaricom invention!
They're special in the sense that shareholders shouldn't expect it to be the "new normal", but can anticipate a Sh1.25/share dividend (or an adjustment of the same) in their projections.
There is nothing like "normal dividend", therefore, there is nothing like "special" dividend!
Paying, say, Sh1.25 this year does NOT in any way tell you how much will be paid next year!
Staying with the example of Williamson Tea....
2014: EPS = 40.68; DPS = 7.00
2015: EPS = -11.88; DPS = 40.00
2016: EPS = 26.45; DPS = 20.00
2017: EPS = -13.73; DPS = 10.00
2018: EPS = 27.86; DPS = 20.00
There is no trend and no correlation; it is sporadic and chaotic!
I used Williamson Tea as an illustration because it is the only company I can think of that pays dividends even in years when it has made losses [there could be others...]
But the point is: this "normal" and "special" dividend is an invention by Safaricom and the have not explained what those terms mean.