Business
‘No Prospect For Stock Dividends In 2010’
Investors at the Nigerian Capital market have been told not to expect any dividend from quoted banks in the next one year until the financial institutions are back on their feet.
Dealing members on the floor who gave the advice noted that the impact of the on-going reforms in the system is so huge on the financial institutions that it would take some time before they start declaring huge profits and dividend payments that they were known for in the past financial years.
Mr. Funmi Abiodun of Supra Commercial Trust said with the huge provisions being made by the banks for their bad debts, investor should not be expecting any dividend from them in the next one year.
According to him, the banks still have a long way to go in recovering their debts, adding that they would not be considering dividend payments until they are able to get out of the present storm in the industry, which might take them up to one year.
Speaking on the fate of the banking stocks given the scenario painted, he said investors will continue to take position since there is hope of good dividends in the future.
Another broker, who spoke under the condition of anonymity predicted that the audited results for the December year-end of the banks, which would be released at the same time, would be full of surprises, as it would show the true positions of the banks unlike past audited results, adding that, investors may have to wait for the 2010 financial year to enjoy dividends from the banks.
The on-going reform in the banking sector has put all the financial institutions on their toes while efforts are being made to clean the mess of past years through full disclosure directive from the CBN, which has exposed the true state of things in the system. Going by quarterly results released so far by some of the banks, analysts have posited that the era of huge profit declaration has ended.
The quarter results had portrayed the banks in bad light as most of them recorded loses owing to huge provisions made for debts, while those who managed to post profits recorded huge declines in their bottom lines.