Global dividends hit new records of $1.56tln in 2022 – report

Global dividends grew by 8.4 percent to a record $1.56 trillion, compared to the year before, following the dollar’s rise against most currencies, according to the latest quarterly dividend report by asset manager Janus Henderson Investors.

Janus Henderson noted that “global dividend growth was so strong that 12 countries posted record payments in dollar terms.” These included U.S., Canada, Brazil, China, India and Taiwan, it said.

France, Germany, Japan and Australia were among the countries with record levels of local currency distributions, amid a 11.2 percent increase in Europe.

Soaring energy prices meant oil and gas producers raised payouts by two thirds in a mixture of regular distributions and one-off special dividends, as they contributed almost one quarter of 2022’s increase in global dividends.

Janus Henderson forecasts slower growth in 2023, with payments of $1.60 trillion, up 2.3 percent on a headline basis, equivalent to an underlying increase of 3.4 percent.