21世纪经济报道·2025-04-24 14:56Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the commencement of the bank dividend season in China, highlighting the significant cash dividends announced by various banks, particularly state-owned banks, and the trends in dividend distribution for 2024. Group 1: Dividend Announcements - Starting from this week, the bank dividend season officially begins, with China Bank announcing a cash dividend of 0.1216 yuan per share for the year-end of 2024 [2] - As of April 23, 36 banks have disclosed their dividend plans, with a total dividend amount of 616.26 billion yuan, including over 230 billion yuan in interim dividends from the previous year [3][8] - China Bank's annual dividend distribution is notably earlier than in previous years, which typically occurred between June and July [5] Group 2: Dividend Distribution Details - According to the distribution plan, China Bank will distribute a total cash dividend of 35.798 billion yuan based on its total ordinary share capital of 29.4388 billion shares, with A-shares accounting for 25.629 billion yuan of this total [6][7] - The total cash dividend for the year 2024, including interim dividends, amounts to 0.2424 yuan per share, totaling approximately 71.36 billion yuan [7] Group 3: Performance of Major Banks - The six major state-owned banks have collectively announced dividends exceeding 420 billion yuan, with all six banks increasing their dividend amounts compared to the previous year, totaling nearly 100 billion yuan more [8][9] - The total dividend amount for the six major banks accounts for over 70% of the entire banking sector's dividend total, indicating their strong profitability and dividend capacity [9] Group 4: Dividend Yields and Trends - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China leads with a dividend amount of 109.773 billion yuan, followed by China Construction Bank with 100.754 billion yuan, and Agricultural Bank of China and China Bank with 84.661 billion yuan and 71.36 billion yuan, respectively [9][10] - The average dividend payout ratio for state-owned banks remains stable at 30% or higher, with an increasing trend in dividend frequency to twice a year [9][11] Group 5: Individual Bank Strategies - China Merchants Bank plans to initiate interim dividends for 2025, marking its first such distribution, with a cash dividend ratio of 35.3% last year [10] - Other banks, such as Industrial Bank and Huaxia Bank, have also committed to maintaining or increasing their dividend payout ratios above 30% [11][15] - Zhejiang Merchants Bank's cash dividend for 2024 is 4.284 billion yuan, maintaining a payout ratio above 30%, although slightly lower than previous years [13] Group 6: Overall Market Sentiment - The trend of increasing dividends is seen as a way to enhance investor confidence and stabilize stock prices, with analysts emphasizing the importance of sustainable dividend policies based on solid operational performance [16]