The Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores Inc has approved an annual dividend of USD 1.46 per share, a 21 percent increase from the USD 1.21 per share paid during FY’11. For the current fiscal year, ending January 31, 2012, the annual dividend of USD 1.46 per share will be paid in four quarterly instalments of USD 0.3650 per share.
“The strength of our earnings performance for FY’11 and Walmart’s strong financial position allow us to again increase our dividend payout to shareholders,” said Mike Duke, Wal-Mart Stores Inc president and chief executive officer. “We continue to generate ample free cash flow to fund store growth across all our markets, make strategic acquisitions and deliver returns to shareholders through dividends and share repurchase. In fact, for fiscal 2011, we returned a record USD 19.2 bn to shareholders through dividends and share repurchase.
“Our leadership team is completely aligned on enhancing shareholder value by delivering on Walmart’s financial priorities of growth, leverage and returns,” Duke added. “Walmart’s underlying operations around the world remain strong, as we continue to focus on our mission of helping customers save money so they can live better.”
Based upon the financial year 2012 dividend payout, the company plans to return more than USD 5 bn to its shareholders in the form of dividends in the 2012 fiscal. Walmart has increased its dividend every year since the first declared dividend of USD 0.05 per share in March 1974.
– IndiaRetailing Bureau
