On 22nd March 2010, Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) announced an income distribution of 6.30 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) for the financial year ended March 31, 2010. Last year, the income distribution is 6.25 sen per unit, which was the lowest since its introduction in 2000. The highest dividend given was 7.8 sen in 2001.
The income distribution involved a total payout of RM654.06 million, an increase of 60.5 per cent from RM407.58 million paid in 2009. The payment will benefit 552,000 unitholders who had subscribed to 11.2 billion ASM units as at March 19, 2010.
The payout of 6.30 sen was still better compared to payouts from other instruments with a similar risk profile. ASNB has a capacity is to pay out 7.40 sen per unit but they only paid 6.30 sen because they want to have more reserves to bring forward next year
Up until March 19, 2010, ASM had recorded a gross income of RM800.83 million. Profit from the sale of shares contributed RM429.83 million, or 53.7 per cent of the gross income.
Dividend income provided RM259.69 million or 32.4 per cent and the remaining income of RM111.31 million or 13.9 per cent was derived from investments in short-term instruments.
The income distribution will be reinvested in additional ASM units to be automatically credited into the unitholders accounts on April 1, 2010.
ASM is a fixed priced equity-income fund aimed at providing unitholders with a long-term investment opportunity that generates regular and competitive returns through a diversified portfolio of investments.
Click here for historical ASM dividends since 2001.
Click here for comparison between ASNB funds.
Of cause this dividend payout is better then KWSP when KWSP has higher investment fund. Something must be wrong with EPF fund management since it only payout 5.65% for yearend 2009.