Singapore SMEs' dividend track record slips over past 3 years

Singapore

DIVIDEND payouts by Singapore-listed mid and small-cap companies have deteriorated over the last three years - no thanks to the economic challenges weighing on these firms.

According to the latest Governance Evaluation for Mid and Small Caps (GEMS) released on Thursday, only 25.3 per cent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) maintained or raised dividend payouts over the last three years, down from 32.9 per cent in 2014 and 27.5 per cent in 2015.

On a positive note, the pool of companies which do not pay any dividends has shrunk - 30.1 per cent of SMEs did not pay any dividend in the last three years, down from 32.9 per…