[이코노믹리뷰=곽예지 기자] Domestic biopharmaceutical companies are actively pursuing shareholder-friendly activities through share buybacks and cash dividends.
According to the Financial Supervisory Service on the 15th, 85 major domestic health care companies decided to pay cash dividends at this year’s regular shareholders’ meeting. The total amount is regarding 670 billion won.
The company with the highest dividend per share was GC Green Cross (006280). GC Green Cross decided to increase its dividend from 1,500 won per share last year to 2,000 won per share this year. The total dividend amount is 228 billion won. Yuhan Corporation (000100) decided to pay 26 billion won in dividends. Common stock is 400 won per share and preferred stock is 410 won.
Celltrion (068270) plans to pay out 104.7 billion won at 750 won per share, and Celltrion Healthcare (091990) plans to pay 39.9 billion won at 260 won per share. The total dividend amount of the two companies is 142.3 billion won, and Celltrion Pharmaceutical (068760) decided to pay a stock dividend rather than a cash dividend.
HK Innoen (195940), which went public last year, pays a dividend of 320 won per share. The total dividend is 5.35 billion won. This dividend will be finalized at the shareholders’ meeting scheduled to be held on the 25th, and the dividend will be paid within one month from the date of the shareholders’ meeting.
In addition, Chong Kun Dang (185750) with 11.2 billion won, Hanmi Science (008930) with 13.2 billion won, Kyungdong Pharmaceutical (011040) with 10.9 billion won, and Caregen (214370) with 14.7 billion won announced cash dividend plans of over 10 billion won.
Diagnosis kit companies that have benefited from COVID-19 are also notable for cash dividends. SD Biosensor (137310), the only domestic pharmaceutical bio company with sales exceeding 2 trillion won last year, decided to pay 100 billion won in cash dividends. SD Biosensor has set a dividend of 1,266 won per common share, and the dividend yield is 2.3%.
The dividend per share has nearly doubled from 535 won in 2020. The total dividend is 128.45 billion won, which is three times higher than the 49.9 billion won in 2020. SD Biosensor paid out a cash dividend for the first time last year.
Seegene (096530) also decided to pay an additional cash dividend of 20.6 billion won. About 170,000 individual shareholders will receive the dividend through this dividend. According to the quarterly dividend policy implemented in the first half of last year, a cash dividend of 400 won per share including a special dividend was paid out. Due to the spread of Omicron mutation in the fourth quarter of last year, the company recorded sales of 410 billion won and operating profit of 199.9 billion won, and a special dividend of 200 won per share is also provided.
Humasys (205470) also decided to pay a cash dividend of 200 won per share for a total of 6.8 billion won. This is the first time that Humasys has paid a shareholder dividend.
It is also active in treasury stock buybacks. Celltrion and Celltrion Healthcare plan to buy back shares worth 180 billion won and 90 billion won, respectively, twice this year. HK Innoen also plans to buy back 24.2 billion won worth of treasury stock. Seegene announced the decision to buy back 50 billion won worth of stock this month.
Hanall Biopharma (009420) also decided to acquire treasury stock worth 10 billion won to enhance shareholder value and recruit global talent. The stocks to be acquired are 543,479 shares, which is regarding 1% of the total issued stock, and will be acquired through an exchange-traded purchase. The acquired treasury stock will be used in the future for stock options to attract talent.
