High dividend payers of 2002

THE new dividend trend? In the results season just ended, the trend of listed companies raising dividend payouts is quite evident. With bank deposits now paying no more than 3% annual interest, and EPF likely to reduce dividends to less than 5%, high dividend stocks may increasingly find appeal with investors. 

With this in mind, we scan through the latest October–December 2002 results of listed companies, to the best of our ability, in order to identify the generous dividend payers. Indeed, even based on our rather stringent criteria, we find a list of 10 stocks.