The number hit a historical high! A total of 17 A-share listed companies have announced special dividend plans this year, including leading companies such as Contemporary Amperex Technology and Yunnan Baiyao Group.

Since the beginning of this year, the enthusiasm for dividends of A-share listed companies has surged. According to incomplete statistics from Cailian News, as of the time of publication, a total of 17 listed companies, including Hunan SUND Technological Corporation, Touchstone International Medical Science Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Nhu, Zhongshan Public Utilities Group, Guoyuan, Fujian Yuanli Active Carbon, Bohai Ferry Group, Contemporary Amperex Technology, Luenmei Quantum, Yunnan Baiyao Group, Guangdong South New Media, S.F. Holding, China Shipbuilding Industry Group Power, Shandong Jianbang New Material, Vats Liquor Chain Store Management Joint Stock, China Coal Energy, and China World Trade Center, have announced special dividend plans for 2024, setting a new annual record (7 listed companies announced special dividends in 2023). Details can be seen in the chart below. Among them, Contemporary Amperex Technology, Yunnan Baiyao Group, S.F. Holding, and three other listed companies are expected to have special dividends exceeding 2 billion yuan. In addition, companies like Harbin Fuerjia Technology, Three Squirrels Inc., and Chongqing Qin'an M&E PLC. have also announced special dividend plans before the Spring Festival. An investment banker stated, "Company dividends, especially special dividends, are usually seen as a signal of good financial health, which can boost investor confidence. If a company issues special dividends, investors may perceive the company to have strong earnings capabilities, leading to increased demand for the company's stock and driving up the stock price." If special dividends exceed market expectations, it may attract more investors to buy, providing some support to stock prices. Contemporary Amperex Technology, a global leader in power batteries (300750.SZ), announced a special dividend plan for 2024 on December 10th. The company plans to distribute a total of 5.4 billion yuan, which is 15% of the net profit attributable to the company's shareholders in the first three quarters of 2024, as dividends. Based on a total share capital of 4.387 billion shares after deducting 15.9915 million repurchased shares from the existing total share capital of 4.403 billion shares, the company will distribute a cash dividend of 12.3 yuan per 10 shares to all shareholders. This dividend will not include bonus shares or capitalization of reserves. Contemporary Amperex Technology stated that the company has always attached great importance to returning value to investors since its listing and has consistently offered stable cash dividends to shareholders. In the dividend plan implemented in 2023, the company further increased the dividend ratio by distributing a total cash dividend of 22.06 billion yuan, which was fully completed by April 2024. On December 11th, analysts from Haitong, including Yu Meihan, pointed out that Contemporary Amperex Technology has implemented special dividends for two consecutive years. In 2023, the company issued an annual dividend of 20% plus a special dividend of 30%. This time, it is based on the third-quarter report for dividend distribution, increasing the frequency of dividends. This reflects the company's focus on shareholder returns and confidence in future financial and capital arrangements. In addition, industry experts pointed out that companies that value investor returns not only send positive signals to investors but also demonstrate good operational and profit capabilities, which help stabilize market expectations. In the secondary market, from the low point in January to the present, Contemporary Amperex Technology's stock price has risen by a maximum of 120%. Yunnan Baiyao Group, known as the first national brand in traditional Chinese medicine (000538.SZ), announced on October 29th that it plans to optimize dividend frequency and rhythm to enhance investor satisfaction, boost investor confidence, and continuously improve the company's intrinsic and market value. The company will distribute a cash dividend of 12.13 yuan (including tax) per 10 shares to all shareholders, with no bonus shares (including tax) or capitalization of reserves, totaling 2.164 billion yuan, accounting for 50.02% of the company's net profit attributable to shareholders in the first three quarters. Yunnan Baiyao Group stated during a research interview on December 6th that the company has always emphasized on providing sustainable and reasonable returns to investors, sharing the fruits of enterprise development with investors. In 2023, Yunnan Baiyao Group's dividend plan distributed a cash dividend of 20.77 yuan per 10 shares, totaling 3.706 billion yuan, accounting for 90.53% of the mother's net profit in 2023. The company completed the annual equity distribution on May 10, 2024. Yunnan Baiyao Group's special dividend plan for 2024 was completed on November 25, for which the company has been listed since 1993 and has continuously distributed dividends to shareholders for 31 consecutive years, with a total cash dividend amount exceeding 26.5 billion yuan. In the secondary market, from the low point in February until now, Yunnan Baiyao Group's stock price has accumulated a maximum increase of 55.2%. The leading domestic express delivery companyS.F. Holding (002352.SZ) announced on October 10th that, approved by the company's first extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in 2023, it has initiated the work related to the public offering of overseas-listed foreign capital stocks (H shares) and listing on the main board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. In order to repay the long-standing strong support of shareholders to the company, the company plans to implement a one-time special cash dividend to all shareholders (i.e. A-share shareholders) before this issuance and listing. It is proposed to distribute cash dividends of RMB 10 for every 10 shares to all shareholders, with an estimated total amount of special dividend to shareholders of approximately RMB 4.8 billion.On the same day, S.F. Holding announced its 2024 mid-term dividend plan, with the company planning to implement a mid-term dividend in 2024, distributing cash dividends of RMB 4 per 10 shares (including tax). This plan needs to be approved at the first extraordinary shareholders' meeting in 2024 before it can be implemented. The total amount of the 2024 mid-term dividend is expected to be approximately RMB 1.92 billion, accounting for about 40% of the company's attributable net profit for the first half of 2024. Guotai Junan Securities analyst Zhao Xudong pointed out in a research report on October 19th that the mid-term dividend + special dividend increase market confidence. S.F. Holding announced a "special dividend + mid-term dividend" dual dividend plan, with a total dividend of RMB 14 (pre-tax) per 10 shares. The total amount of dividends to be distributed is estimated to be about RMB 6.72 billion. Based on the closing price on October 10th, the dividend yield is around 3.4%. Taking into account the dividends already distributed in the first half of the year (cash dividends of RMB 6 per 10 shares), the company's full-year dividend yield for 2024 is approximately 4.8%. In the secondary market, S.F. Holding's stock price has risen by a maximum of 52.39% from the low point in February to the present. Source: Caixin, Author: Pingfang, Edited by GMTEight: Chen Qiuda.