We have already had a look at three major companies reaching their ex-dividend dates next week, but there are more to come. It’s an important date if you want to be eligible for a dividend payment, or if you’re watching for possible share price falls — as long as you hold the shares up to and including that day, you’ll get your money.
Here are three more FTSE 100 companies reaching the critical date on Wednesday, 14 August:
Royal Dutch Shell
On 1 August, Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) (NYSE: RDS-B.US) announced a second-quarter dividend of 45 cents per share, up 2 cents from the same quarter last year for a gain of 4.4%. The company has already paid a 45c dividend for its first quarter, up a similar 2 cents. The quarter saw a fall in profits for the oil giant, as earnings on a current cost basis, excluding some exceptional items, dropped 20% from the same quarter last year, to $4.6bn.
The share price dropped sharply on the day and now stands at 2,161p, but that does boost the forecast full-year dividend yield to 5.4%. Might now be a good time to buy for income? That’s for you to decide.
SABMiller
In results released in May, SABMiller (LSE: SAB) revealed a final dividend of 77 cents, taking the total payment from the global beer giant to 101 cents per share, a rise of 11%. Group revenue was up 10% to $34.5bn, but pre-tax profit slipped 16% to $4.7bn — the fall being put down to exceptional gains the previous year. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) came in 12% higher at 238.7 cents.
The shares have fallen back from a peak of 3,668p in May, to 3,136p today, which is a rare fall. In fact, SABMiller has beaten the FTSE for 12 years in a row, but the chance of a 13th year must be in doubt now, as the price is lagging the index for 2013 so far.
Pearson
Educational publisher Pearson (LSE: PSON) (NYSE: PSO.US) will pay an interim dividend of 16p per share, up 7% on the same period last year, after revealing mixed first-half results in July. Sales were up 5% to £2.8bn at constant exchange rates, but adjusted operating profit fell £50m to £137m, though that did include a restructuring charge of £37m. Adjusted EPS dropped 4.9p to 9.9p, but the company still expects full-year earnings to be broadly level with 2012 results.
City analysts are forecasting a small fall in EPS, however, suggesting a P/E of 17 for the 1,321p shares, and there’s a full-year dividend yield of 3.6% predicted.
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> Alan does not own any shares mentioned in this article.
