Qantas shareholders expecting carrier to reinstate dividends

Sydney

QANTAS Airways Ltd shareholders have cheered chief executive officer Alan Joyce's efforts to turn the marquee Australian carrier around, helping the stock more than triple in under three years. Now they want to see a roadmap for reinstating dividends.

Australia's biggest airline, which has withheld dividends for seven years, is expected to announce on Wednesday record annual profit because of lower fuel expenses and faster-than-expected gains from Mr Joyce's restructuring. Singapore Airlines Ltd and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd have already restarted paying dividends after the global financial crisis. Sydney-based Qantas has made two one-off capital returns totalling more than A$1 billion (S$1.03 billion) in the past year, while not reinstating the dividend.