Despite corporate America’s continued banner days, the money didn’t flow over for income-hungry investors this year, as companies were less generous than expected with their dividends.
Only 295 companies in the
Overall, dividends increased 11% this year, shy of the 13% analysts had expected.
Companies may be sheepish with dividends, but investors want them. Nearly 70% of investors want companies to pay dividends, not just use excess cash to buy stock, according to a poll by
Dividend-paying companies in the S&P 500 gained 16.4% this year, easily outstripping the 12.7% gain of the non-dividend-paying companies.
The reason dividends are not as robust as expected could be due to a calm after a dividend payment explosion. The size and number of dividends paid by companies skyrocketed beginning in 2003, when Congress cut the maximum tax rate on dividends from 38% to 15%.
Also, other than investing in new equipment, companies have two choices for their piles of cash: stock buybacks and dividends, and buybacks are winning. This year, companies are expected to spend $437 billion buying back stock, dwarfing the $246 billion they will spend on dividends.
Companies are also facing a drop-off in profit growth after enjoying an unprecedented 18 consecutive quarters of double-digit earnings gains. It’s hard to commit to a dividend that needs to be paid every quarter no matter what, when there’s uncertainty about future profits, says Duncan Richardson of Eaton Vance.
