Dividend payout is one major factor that every investor investigates thoroughly before investing their hard-earned money in any stock. While most companies with a stable cashflow distribute dividends on a regular basis, every investor looks forward to dividend growth stocks in their portfolio as they provide increasing income in the long-term through regular payouts. Moreover, stocks of dividend paying companies tend to be less volatile, as regular income from dividends helps cushion market fluctuations. (Image: Shutterstock)
Although a high dividend payout is welcomed by every investor, it gives an indication of the company’s performance and whether or not it is generating enough cash to run the business. A dividend is a portion of profit that shareholders expect as a reward for their investments. Let’s take a look at the top-10 companies that paid the highest dividend in FY24 and decide whether you should invest in them or not. (Image: Shutterstock)
Company: 3M India | Net Profit: ₹536 crore| Dividend per share: ₹685 | 3M India, started paying dividends only last year. The Indian arm of US-based 3M Company announced Rs 685 per share for FY24. In fact, this is the highest dividend declared by any Indian company for the year so far. Interestingly, the maiden dividend of ₹850 from the company came in the form of a special dividend and it further upped its payout by another ₹100 per share, taking the total DPS to ₹950 for FY23. Over the last two years, 3M India has distributed as much as ₹1,842 crore as dividend, which is twice that of its net profit. (Image: Shutterstock)
Company: Abbott India | Net Profit: ₹1,201 crore | Dividend per share: ₹685 | Drug maker Abbott India announced its highest ever divided of ₹410 per share for the financial year 2024. The declared dividend is 73% of its full year profit, which stood at ₹1,201 crore. The net profit of Abbott India increased by 26.5% in FY24, whereas its payout also swelled at similar magnitude during the year. Abbott India, a unit of Abbott Laboratories had been announcing special dividends in every year between FY18 and FY23. Further the company has distributed three-fourths of its profit as dividend since FY20. (Image: Abbott India)
Company: Bosch | Net Profit: ₹2491 crore | Dividend per share: ₹375 | Bosch has a good dividend track record, and the company has been declaring decent dividends for the last five years. After distributing ₹480 last year, Bosch declared a dividend of ₹375 in FY24. The net profit of Bosch increased by 75% in FY24 to ₹2,491 crore. Better EBITDA margin and higher other income boosted company’s net profit during the year. (Image: Reuters)
Company: Page Industries | Net Profit: ₹569 crore | Dividend per share: ₹370 | Bengaluru-headquartered Page Industries, which owns the popular innerwear brand Jockey also features among the highest dividend payers list in the country. At ₹569 crore, the net profit of Page Industries came in at par with FY23 whereas EBITDA for the year increased by 1.1% to ₹872 crore. (Image: Reuters)
Company: Oracle Financial Services | Net Profit: ₹2,219 crore | Dividend per share: ₹240 | When it comes to dividend distribution, Oracle outpaces all other big information-technology names. The midcap software firm deployed Rs 2080 crore for dividend, translating a dividend per share of ₹240. The announced dividend was the highest since 2014, back then it had announced a dividend of ₹485 per share. For the financial year 2024, Oracle Financial reported a 12% growth in its topline to ₹6,373 crore, whereas its net profit increased by 23% to ₹2,219 crore. (Image: Reuters)
Company: MRF | Net Profit: ₹2,041 crore | Dividend per share: ₹200 | While the top five dividend paying companies belong to MNCs, MRF stands out among Indian origin companies. The country’s largest tyre manufacturer occupies sixth spot with a DPS of Rs 200. However, the tyre manufacturer is also the most quoted stock on the bourses with the shares trading at about Rs 1.3 lakh per piece. During the year, the consolidated net profit of MRF more than doubled to Rs 2,787 crore. The Chennai-headquartered company also forayed into the High-End Bike Steel Radial tyres during the year. (Image: Shutterstock)
Company: Procter & Gamble Health | Net Profit: ₹2,041 crore | Dividend per share: ₹150 | Including a special dividend of Rs 150 per share, Procter & Gamble Health announced a total divided of Rs 200 per share for the financial year. In FY23, the company had paid Rs 95 per share and the same has more than doubled to Rs 200 in FY24. (Image: Reuters)
Company: Maharashtra Scooters | Net Profit: ₹199 crore | Dividend per share: ₹170 | Maharashtra Scooters, owned by Bajaj Holdings Investment declared a dividend of Rs 170 per share in FY24. In fact, the company has been increasing its payout over the last four years from Rs 50 in FY21 to Rs 170 in FY24. (Image: Reuters)
Company: Sanofi India | Net Profit: ₹603 crore | Dividend per share: ₹167 | For the calendar year 2023, Sanofi India declared a dividend of ₹167 per share. However, the declared dividend was lowest in five years. In FY22, the company had announced Rs 570 as dividend and similarly, the dividend for 2021 stood at ₹490 per share. The company follows January to December as its accounting year. (Image: Shutterstock)
Company: Procter & Gamble Hygiene | Net Profit: ₹603 crore | Dividend per share: ₹160 | At Rs 160, P&G Hygiene declared its highest payout since 2017. The total dividend for the year also included a one-time special dividend of ₹60 per share, to commemorate 60 years of the company.