Adnoc Distribution board approves Dhs1.285b interim cash dividend
ABU DHABI: Adnoc Distribution announced on Wednesday the approval of an interim dividend payment to shareholders for the first six months of 2022 of Dhs1.285 billion (10.285 fils per share), equivalent to $350 million.
This is the first payment of what is expected to be a full-year 2022 dividend payment of minimum Dhs2.57 billion (20.57 fils per share), in line with the company’s dividend policy, with the second and final dividend for 2022 expected to be paid in April 2023, subject to the Board of Directors’ recommendation and shareholders’ approval.
The 2022 full-year dividend would offer a 4.9 per cent annual dividend yield (based on a share price of Dhs4.21 as of 27th September 2022).
The company’s dividend policy for the years thereater sets a dividend equal to at least 75 per cent of distributable profits. The policy recognises the company’s strong financial position and cashflow generation ability going forward, which will supportgrowthopportunitiesandsustainatractive and shareholder returns.
Since its IPO in 2017, the company has enhanced payback to its shareholders through its progressive dividend policy with a dividend track record of Dhs1.47 billion for 2018, Dhs2.39 billion for 2019, Dhs2.57 billion for 2020, and Dhs2.57 billion for 2021, supported by robust cash generation and balance sheet strength.
In recent years, the company has taken steps to cement its position as a leading, cost-competitive fuel and non-fuel retailer, by accelerating the delivery of its smart growth strategy while enhancing customer experience. Over the first half of 2022, Adnoc Distribution opened 12 new stations in the UAE, of which four are in Dubai, taking its domestic network to 472 (Dubai: 35 stations) as of June 30, 2022.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the company added 26 new stations over the same period, taking its network in the kingdom to 66. The company’s total network stands at 538 stations (as of 30 June 2022) and it remains on track to deliver its target of 60-80 new sites in 2022.
Over the first half of this year, the company also increased exports of its lubricants business, Adnoc VOYAGER, growing its network to 21 global markets. Adnoc Distribution also launched the Adnoc VOYAGER green series, an alternative 100 per cent plant-based lubricant range for petrol and diesel engines.
Adnoc Distribution also recently announced its milestone transaction to acquire a 50 per cent stake in Totalenergies Marketing Egypt, one of the top four fuel retail operators in Egypt.
The acquisition aligns with Adnoc Distribution’s visiontoestablishitselfasaregionalfueldistribution leader.theacquisitionisexpectedtobecompleted in Q1, 2023 pending satisfaction of certain conditions, including customary regulatory approvals.
CEO of Adnoc Distribution Bader Saeed Al Lamki said, “Adnoc Distribution’s resilience and steadfast focus on smart growth has positioned us to confidently deliver on our strategic priorities, while ensuring atractive capital returns for our shareholders.” “The atractive value proposition that we offer is backed by our strong earnings, stable and predictable cash flows and dividend policy that reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the shareholders.