Three banks declare dividends for 2020
Three publicly listed banks - Al Arafah Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, and Southeast Bank - have declared shareholder dividends for the financial year ended 31 December, 2020.
Of the three banks, Al Arafah Islami Bank and EXIM Bank have posted growth in earnings per share (EPS), thanks to Bangladesh Bank's policy of suspending interest on loans owing to the dire situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Al Arafah Islami Bank
In its last board meeting, the bank declared a 15% cash dividend for financial year 2020, which was 13% in the previous year.
The bank's consolidated EPS was Tk2.41, 6% higher compared to the previous year.
But its share price fell by 0.46% to Tk21.50 each at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Sunday.
General shareholders hold 36.30% shares of the bank, sponsors and directors 41.87%, institutional investors 21.08%, and foreign investors 0.75% as of 31 March, 2021.
EXIM Bank
The bank declared a 7.5% cash dividend for financial year 2020, which was 10% in the previous year.
Its consolidated EPS was Tk1.99, 18% higher compared to the previous year.
The bank's share price fell by 1.69% to Tk11.60 each, at the DSE on Sunday.
General shareholders hold 34.57% shares of the bank, sponsors and directors 37.95%, institutional investors 25.95%, and foreign investors 1.54% as of 31 March, 2021.
Southeast Bank
The bank declared a 10% cash dividend for financial year 2020, which was 7.5% cash, and 2.5% stock in the previous year.
Its consolidated EPS was Tk1.81, 14% lower compared to the previous year.
The share price of the bank remained unchanged - Tk13.30 each - at the DSE on Sunday, compared to the previous session.
General shareholders hold 32.75% share of the bank, sponsors and directors 30.18%, institutional investors 35.86%, and foreign investors 1.21% as of 31 March, 2021.