One stumbling to wealth accumulation by local retail investors is in the way they use their dividends.
While some companies and cooperative societies pay healthy dividends each year (or even each quarter), many investors use the cash to meet a variety of expenses – foodstuffs, school fees, credit cards, gifts, holidays – all except reinvestment in shares.
Dividend reinvestment is key instrument of accelerating investor returns. Without it, one’s investment only grows as a stock price appreciates or as one directly increases their investments.
The lag in time between dividend announcement and payments is probably a factor. Dividends arrive long after they have been forgotten about and provide an unexpected cash bonus in the middle of the year – and end up being used to meet urgent household bills e.g. most NSE firms pay 3 months after announcement ( and KCB is 4 months this year).
The financial cost of dividend payments by cheques is also expensive for both the companies (e.g. KQ will mail out almost 80,000 cheques a year) and investors (bank charges to clear cheques).
The new CDS system can help solve this problem in that dividend payments can be credited to one’s account – and then can be reinvested later in same stock or other company at the advice of a stockbroker. However, there have been some payment errors, and many investors may still prefer to see and verify their dividend cheques and then bank them and use the cash as they see fit.
to some, dividends represent the payoff or reward for their enterprisse.
hence the immediate consumption. re-investing is indeed wise, but only if the dividend cheque is substantial.
btw, it was nice to finally meet you.
Kritik: investors are missing out, even those who get small dividends.
True, so how do you justify buying a co. on NSE with 1% dividend yield. Dividends are part of the Reward story
There is a lot learning on wealth accumulation that the typical Kenyan investor needs and CDSC will in due time prove to be aneye openner
The teething problems are just that.
teething problems.
Ken
On a slightly different note, would you please write something about Unit Trusts and their suitability as a medium-to-long term investment? Would appreciate if you did.
Agree with Ken…I also think the economically empowered Kenyan is undergoing a change, possibly a cultural one, on how they handle investments.
With this shift needs to come education, starting from the ABCs of investing, especially in stocks and shares – and also in other options such as unit trusts. So that guys arent just buying, they are making informed and educated (sometimes guesses) decisions
Whose responsibility is this? NSE? Or is there someone commissioned to enlighten and educate Kenyans on such matters, especially regarding shares?
Hope the teething problems dont take too long though…
Reinvesting of dividends gives a greater reward in the end.But people still need crash courses in making investment decisions.Kengen IPO oversubscription with 12billion is an eye opener indicating that kenyans have cash and are ready and willing to invest if only they had enough info.
what is your opinion of the upcoming eveready ipo will it be a good buy especially in relation that merali is one of the biggest shareholders
pesa tu: But only 48 stocks to choose from.
mudskippah: will see how it goes
Ken: CDS has taken investor several levels ahead and de-mystified the market for many others
The.Hanyeé said: agreed
sassy: 12b has to go somewhere, and brokers will try and persuade investors to park it elsewhere
Anonymous: Merali is in almost every sector, but I’d have prefered some Celtel or KDN shares
Dude, M in Nbi but no news from u… U have my e-mail… when can we meet? Went to BAT AGM & next will b Barclays…
For many, dividends is cashflow that at times can come at the right time.
And the reasons we invest is to get that extra cash.
For some of us, we could even be investing to enable us pay for a future contingent like lets say Education. So depends on the investor objectives
I see no problem in utilizing the dividends especially if negligible like most of the times.
@bankelele: following your comment on Alpha, i posed a question on his blog for your consideration.
In my opinion Companies should credit the dividends to the CDS accounts
It should b cheaper and faster
Its tru what u say about the unwise investor, but for the majorityt out there it’s a learning period