| Dividend paid for the financial year | Number of shares that received dividends(1) | Unit dividend (in euros) | Total payout (in millions of euros) | Share price at December 31 (in euros) | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2018 Number of shares that received dividends (1)232,480,960 |
2018 Unit dividend (in euros)2.12 |
2018 Total payout (in millions of euros)492.9 |
2018 Share price at December 31 (in euros)50.08 |
2018 Yield 4.23% |
| 2019 | 2019 Number of shares that received dividends (1)240,437,061 |
2019 Unit dividend (in euros)1.15 (2) |
2019 Total payout (in millions of euros)276.5 |
2019 Share price at December 31 (in euros)40.36 |
2019 Yield 2.85% |
| 2020 | 2020 Number of shares that received dividends (1)247,769,038 |
2020 Unit dividend (in euros)2.00 |
2020 Total payout (in millions of euros)495.5 |
2020 Share price at December 31 (in euros)40.76 |
2020 Yield 4.91% |
| 2021 | 2021 Number of shares that received dividends (1)251,129,966 |
2021 Unit dividend (in euros)2.40 |
2021 Total payout (in millions of euros)602.7 |
2021 Share price at December 31 (in euros)59.20 |
2021 Yield 4.05% |
| 2022 | 2022 Number of shares that received dividends (1)254,311,860 |
2022 Unit dividend (in euros)2.90(3) |
2022 Total payout (in millions of euros)737.5 |
2022 Share price at December 31 (in euros)59.42 |
2022 Yield 4.88% |
(1) Number of shares receiving dividends, after deducting treasury shares, except for the 2022 distribution, which includes treasury shares existing as of December 31, 2022.
(2)The dividend to be paid in respect of the 2019 financial year was reduced from euro 2.30 to euro 1.15 per share, as part of an exceptional measure related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
(3) Submitted to vote during the General Shareholders’ Meeting of May 31, 2023.
The dividends will be time-barred after five years. They are then paid to the French state. In 2014, the Company raised its medium-term payout ratio commitment, set at 35% until that point, to 42%, reflecting its determination to reach the average payout ratio for its industry. With the aim of further increasing the payout ratio in line with competitor practices, a proposal was made to increase the dividend to euro 2.00 per share for 2017, which represents a payout ratio of 44.4% of diluted headline earnings per share and an increase of 8.1% over the previous year.
As part of the Sprint to the Future plan, the Groupe committed to a payout ratio of around 45%. This resulted in a dividend of euro 2.12 per share for 2018, an increase of 6% and representing 44.9% of diluted headline EPS. In 2019, it was initially planned to propose a dividend of euro 2.30 per share, representing a payout ratio of 45.8% of diluted headline earnings per share. However, in view of the global crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was decided to reduce the dividend planned for 2019 to euro 1.15 per share. In respect of 2020, the Groupe paid a dividend of euro 2.00 per share, i.e. a payout ratio of 46.8%, a level higher than that observed before the pandemic.
On the occasion of its annual results for 2021, the Groupe proposed to increase its dividend payout ratio, which will be between 45% and 50%. Accordingly, the Groupe paid a dividend of euro 2.40 per share for 2021 and will propose to shareholders a dividend of euro 2.90 per share for 2022 at the General Shareholders’ Meeting on May 31, 2023. This dividend corresponds to a payout ratio of 45.7% of diluted earnings per share.
