Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-07-09 07:53Core Viewpoint - The recent announcements of cash dividends by major banks reflect the overall stability and strong profitability of the banking sector, with a total cash dividend amount for A-share listed banks expected to reach 631.96 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 3.03% [2][3] Group 1: Dividend Announcements - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) will distribute a cash dividend of approximately 58.664 billion yuan on July 14, 2024 [1] - China Merchants Bank announced a cash dividend of 2 yuan per share, totaling about 50.44 billion yuan, to be distributed on July 11, 2024 [1] - As of now, 42 A-share listed banks have had their annual profit distribution plans approved by shareholders, with 26 banks having completed their annual dividend distributions [1] Group 2: Dividend Distribution by Major Banks - The four major state-owned banks (ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Bank of China) have all exceeded 70 billion yuan in cumulative dividends for 2024, with ICBC leading at 109.773 billion yuan, a 0.52% increase year-on-year [2] - China Merchants Bank has the highest dividend among joint-stock banks, with a total cash dividend of approximately 50.44 billion yuan, making it the only bank in this category to surpass 50 billion yuan in dividends [2] Group 3: Dividend Ratios and Trends - Several banks have dividend payout ratios exceeding 30%, with China Merchants Bank leading at 33.99% [2] - The dividend payout ratio for Industrial Bank has steadily increased from 24.59% in 2019 to 30.73% in 2024 [4] - Many banks are planning for mid-term dividends in 2025, indicating a proactive approach to enhancing shareholder returns [6] Group 4: Regulatory and Market Context - Regulatory bodies have emphasized the importance of reasonable profit distribution policies to enhance investor confidence, with state-owned banks maintaining a dividend ratio above 30% [7] - The recent increase in dividends is seen as a response to the regulatory encouragement for companies to improve cash dividend levels and frequency [7] - Analysts believe that the increased dividend payouts will positively impact bank stocks and the overall A-share market, attracting long-term investment [8]