Leading corporations distribute highest-ever dividends
Investors are celebrating as the 1,200 largest companies worldwide set a new record by handing out a massive sum to their shareholders in the first quarter of 2024. Global dividend payouts reached an all-time high of 339.2 billion dollars (around 313 billion euros), thanks in part to the influence of Meta and Alibaba.
Investment firm Janus Henderson shared this interesting tidbit, revealing a 2.4% rise in dividends from the previous year. The banking sector drove this growth, while transportation saw a decrease due to severe dividend cuts at Maersk. Surprisingly, Alibaba and Meta, dubbed Meta Platforms Inc., made a significant impact by disbursing their first-ever dividends, accounting for half of the hike seen in Q1.
US-based firms dominated this quarter's payouts, with more than $180 billion distributed, marking a new record. Europe, on the other hand, experienced a decrease - yet it's worth noting that the first quarter typically sees fewer payouts there as many companies distribute their dividends during the second quarter.
Ben Lofthouse and Jane Shoemake from fund house Janus Henderson commented, "Investors have enjoyed a great start to 2024 with share prices on the rise and dividend growth continuing the trend from the end of 2023."
Record-breaking US dividends
Despite a relatively weak start in Europe, the USA broke all records, with a total of 180 billion dollars in dividends paid out over the first quarter.
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Investors and companies in the USA are particularly benefiting from this trend, as US-based firms distributed an unprecedented 180 billion dollars in dividends during the first quarter. This record-breaking figure is a testament to the strong performance of The company names mentioned, such as Meta Platforms and Alibaba, which started paying dividends for the first time, contributing significantly to the overall increase. Despite a less impressive start in Europe, other notable companies like Moeller-Maersk were impacted by severe dividend cuts, contributing to a decrease in that region's totals.
Source: www.ntv.de
