Aberdeen May Boost Dividends Next Week; Repsol Might Cut
Aberdeen Asset Management Plc (ADN) and United Utilities (UU/) Group Plc are among eight companies in the Stoxx Europe 600 Index that may boost their dividends next week, while Repsol (REP) SA might cut its shareholder payout, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Aberdeen may raise its final dividend by 19 percent to 6.2 pence, according to Bloomberg Dividend Forecasts that factor in earnings and options prices. United Utilities, Britain’s biggest publicly traded water company, may increase its interim dividend by 6.7 percent to 11.4 pence. Repsol, the Spanish oil producer that had its Argentinian unit nationalized this year, may lower its interim dividend by 26 percent to 42.5 euro cents.
Companies in the Stoxx 600 (SXXP) could increase shareholder payouts by 7 percent in 2013, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Per-share earnings are forecast to grow 13 percent in that period.
Severn Trent (SVT) may boost its payout to shareholders by 8.1 percent to 30.3 pence, the data show. Pennon Group Plc (PNN), a U.K. waste and water company, might raise its payment by 6.8 percent to 8.8 pence, while Seadrill Ltd. (SDRL), the owner of ultra-deepwater rigs controlled by billionaire John Fredriksen, may do so by 11 percent to 84 cents.
Shaftesbury Plc (SHB), the second-best performing U.K. real estate investment trust this year, Gas Natural SDG SA (GAS) and Viscofan SA (VIS) are also among the companies that may increase their dividends next week.
The Stoxx 600 has rallied 3.8 percent so far this week, and is heading for the biggest weekly advance in almost a year, as U.S. and Chinese data added to signs the global economy is on the mend and optimism grew that America’s Congress will reach a budget compromise. The benchmark measure added 0.4 percent to 272.75 at 2:30 p.m. in London.
To contact the reporter on this story: Corinne Gretler in Zurich at cgretler1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Rummer at arummer@bloomberg.net
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