Vietnam & Thailand: Thai billionaire’s firm fetches $383 mln from Sabeco dividends over 6 years

Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi’s company has received a total of VND9.3 trillion ($383 million) in cash dividends from brewer Sabeco since its acquisition of the company in 2017, VnExpress.Net reported on December 7.

The Saigon Beer brewer is set to pay its shareholders a total of VND1.92 trillion in cash dividends this year.

Its biggest shareholder with a 53.6% stake, Viet Beverage – which is a subsidiary of Sirivadhanabhakdi’s Thai Beverage – will receive VND1.03 trillion.

This brings the total amount of cash dividend that Thai Beverage has received from Sabeco since 2017 to VND9.3 trillion.

The dividend alone is equivalent to 8.4% of Thai Beverage’s VND110 trillion investment in the company.

Sabeco has been paying its shareholders cash dividends regularly in recent years as it seeks to give shareholders a sustainable and increasing source of cash.

Thai Beverage CEO Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi last year called Sabeco a "crown jewel" and a rare asset among all brewers in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam in 2021 was the biggest beer market in Southeast Asia and third biggest in Asia at $26 billion, behind China and Japan.

Sabeco, however, has seen post-tax profits plunge 26% year-on-year in the first nine months to VND3.3 trillion amid declining demand as Vietnam tightens anti drink-driving laws.

08 December, 2023