Key points:
- Assuming no sanctions are looming, we expect a dividend rally, as market players are set to ramp up reinvestments in equities. It’s is clear that Russia’s growing dividend yields are appealing, they are officially are the world’s highest after surging to 8%. MICEX is expected to advance by 8% before the record date. Russia’s dividends payout ratio is the only dividend indicator that is lagging behind other markets. It averages 30% against 50% for other emerging markets and over 60% for developed markets
- Total dividends payments for 2018 may hit a record of 3,1 trln roubles ($47 bln), if we take top-50 companies in terms of liquidity. The biggest recent payments were announced by Gazprom (393 bln roubles) and Sberbank (345 bln roubles)
- Finally, Russia made it into the top-10 biggest dividends payers, catching up with Switzerland. Amongst EM it’s second after China
- Dividend payments for 2018 have been ongoing since 2H 2018 and reached 1,2 trln roubles, payments of the outstanding amount (1.9 trln roubles) ($29 bln) have just begun. The bulk of upcoming payments (45%) will come in July, 28% — in June, 16% — in August. The net effect of dividend payments for the rouble will be negative, based on the expected conversion amount for foreign holders of Russian stocks (read more in this report)
Our recommendations: The highest-yielding companies in 2018 and in terms of the nearest payments this summer
The top ten dividend yielders this summer will include Surgutneftegaz pref (19.3%), Enel Russia (13.1%), IDGC of Volga (12.5%), LSR (11.7%), NCSP (11%) , FGC (11%), Etalon (10.5%), Gazprom (10.2%), Mosenergo (9.4%), OGK-2 (9%) and Rostelecom pref (8.7%).
Highest dividend yielders in Russia, %
Source: Bloomberg, ITI Capital
Impact on Russia’s stocks
On the back of new sanctions risks, geopolitics and global economic uncertainty, high dividend payments and low multiples partially offset Russia's sovereign risks. Assuming that the global economy will not face a recession within the next two years, we believe that Russian companies should continue high dividends policy and work towards increasing market capitalization.
High dividends policy is the key feature of the Russian market, given that it lacks buy-back and M&A and other cash-generating events that are common for developed market such as US. For example, buy-backs, capex and M&As, in the U.S. amounted to $2.5 trln, or 10% of the market capitalization of $27 trln.
Assuming no sanctions are looming, we expect a dividend rally, as market players are set to ramp up reinvestments in equities, given rising dividend yields in Russia. MICEX is expected to advance by 8% up to the cut-off level.
Outlook for 2020
We believe that the interim and final dividend yields for 2019 will rise only marginally, to 9% at best, from the current 8.1%. At the same time, payments will increase, as the market capitalization will continue to grow and more companies, especially state-owned entities, will work towards increasing dividends payout ratio. The trend will in many ways depend on the oil and metals prices. It will clearly be harder to keep profit at the record levels seen in 2018.
The rouble performance that impacts exporters' revenues and total dividend payments will depend on sanctions and global volatility, but in general the rouble will weaken marginally against the dollar in the coming years.
Dividend yields beat new records
2018 dividends payments may hit a record of 3,1 trln roubles. ($ 47 bln), if we take the top-50 liquid companies on MICEX and other issuers listed overseas: Etalon, MD Medical Group and Veon. 1.2 trln roubles out of 3,1 trln roubles have already been paid out by Russian companies, payments of the outstanding amount (19 trln roubles) ($29 bln) have just begun.
Please see our forecast in Dividend Strategy for 2019 — Russia: The land of generosity. Our calculations rely on 95% of recommendations confirmed by the companies’ boards.
The average annual yield for 2018 will be an all-time high of 8% against 5.5% in 2017. Last year, total dividend payments, including interim dividends, for 2017 seemed huge and amounted to 1.5 trln roubles. This is twice as less than the new figure, particularly since our calculations for 2017 included 100 companies.
History of dividends payments in Russia
Source: ITI Capital
Russia dividends yields track record (MSCI Russia), %
Source: Bloomberg, ITI Capital
The Russian market has always offered generous dividend yields due to low price of equity and high earnings. Now they are officially the world’s highest as compared to MSCI countries. Russia remains the country with lowest multiples (P/E 5x and P/B 300 bln roubles, or $4.8 bln, that offsets FX-sales.
However, the effect from synergies of sales and tax payments is much stronger. Total synergies with account of tax payments may be over $10 bln, while the net effect with account of FX-buying by MinFin may reach $5.5 bln, which will be positive for the rouble at the end of July. However, the net effect will be softened by bigger FX-purchases at the second stage.
FX-selling timing
Source: Bloomberg, Russia’s Federal Statistics Service, ITI Capital
Second stage: Rouble — negative
The first stage of dividend payments may help the rouble in the short term, but this is followed by the second stage — rouble conversion into currency for payments to foreign shareholders. Conversion is carried out by international custodian banks (BNY, JPM, Citi) as soon as the dividends are received from the depositary (that must transfer the dividends within seven days).
According to our estimates, some $11.4 bln in rouble equivalent will be converted into dollars for foreign holders (holders of depositary receipts and institutional international funds). It cannot be ruled out that private persons will spend some of their funds (about $3 bln) to buy foreign currency. We assume most, or 70%, of individuals will reinvest their funds into the market.
Hence, the total amount of FX-buying may reach $14.5 bln against $4.5 bln of FX-selling for dividend payments in rubles.
Overall, the effect on the rouble in terms of net foreign currency flows will be negative, as so many times before, but we do not rule out that the Russian currency will enjoy support for some short periods.
Importantly, most of the FX-purchases will be made in early July, if conversion is not delayed.
There is another important factor that may lead to a decrease in the actual conversion amount — major companies, usually metal producers, such as Nornickel, prehedge — buy currency for dividends in advance through currency swaps, since their ownership structure is marked by offshore affiliation and common shareholders own other majors in the sector.
The largest conversions for foreign holders after dividend payments, mln $
Source: Bloomberg, Russia’s Federal Statistics Service, ITI Capital
Net foreign exchange balance and impact on the rouble (since April 2019, estimate)
