Chinese companies rush to raise dividends, buy back shares in Japan-style reform
- China-listed firms paid cash dividends totalling 2.2 trillion yuan (US$300 billion) for 2023 despite a fall in combined profit, official data shows
- Regulator pressure has seen many firms arm-twisted to pay dividends in order to avoid delisting or other sanctions
Chinese listed companies are rushing to buy back shares and lift dividends as they respond to regulators’ calls that echo reform efforts in Japan and South Korea, driving a welcome rally even if investors doubt that broader governance changes are afoot.
China-listed firms announced record cash dividends totalling 2.2 trillion yuan (US$300 billion) for 2023 despite a fall in combined profit, official data shows. More than 100 listed companies returned money to investors for the first time.
Meanwhile, a growing number of firms are unveiling share buy-back schemes to avoid being delisted or sanctioned with other penalties under tougher rules.
China’s measures, designed to improve investor returns and announced in March, have triggered a solid rebound in stocks; the benchmark CSI300 index is up almost 17 per cent from February’s five-year lows.
They have also drawn comparisons with the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s push for capital efficiency that drove the Nikkei to record highs.
But a Japan-style rally is unlikely as China’s reforms have met with scepticism from fund managers, who say it is more about rescuing the market than improving corporate governance.