The Board of Executive Directors and the Supervisory Board intend to propose to the Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2014 to deviate from the company’s basic dividend policy due to the not yet overcome uncertainties in the market for potash and magnesium products and the considerable capital expenditure in the upcoming years.
It is intended to pay a dividend per share of EUR 0.25. This equates to a payout of EUR 47.9 million (191,400,000 ordinary shares) or a payout ratio of 11% (based on the adjusted group earnings after taxes, including discontinued operations).
K+S pursues an essentially earnings-based dividend policy. According to this, a dividend payout ratio of 40% to 50% of adjusted group earnings after taxes (including discontinued operations) forms the basis for the amount of future dividend recommendations to be determined by the Board of Executive Directors and the Supervisory Board. The company has already stated in the Q3 2013 quarterly financial report (published 14 November 2013) that a deviation from the dividend policy may not be ruled out for fiscal year 2013 for the above mentioned reasons.
The company intends to return to the basic dividend policy as soon as possible.