Cash dividend and currency election

Dividend per share

Dividends are approved in US dollars and shareholders on the UK and Hong Kong registers will receive payments in pounds sterling or Hong Kong dollars respectively unless they elect to receive their payment in US dollars. The foreign exchange rate at which dividends declared in US dollars are to be converted into pounds sterling and Hong Kong dollars will be announced prior to the payment of the dividend.

If you hold your shares in a securities account with The Central Depository (Pte.) Limited (CDP), the amount you receive in Singapore dollars will be calculated at an exchange rate as determined by CDP. 

If you hold American Depositary Shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange, you will receive your dividends in dollars. One American Depositary Receipt represents 2 ordinary shares and therefore the dividend per share is multiplied by 2.

Dividend mandate form

Shareholders need to complete a dividend mandate form in order to receive dividends on shares held on the UK register. Your cash dividend will be paid directly into your bank or building society account. Please print, complete and return the dividend mandate form to the UK registrar, or add your bank details to your investor centre account via Computershare Investor Centre - UK. 

Shareholders on the Hong Kong register may provide their bank account details in Hong Kong for receiving dividend payments. Details may be submitted to Computershare either by (i) using the “Change of banking instruction for dividends” form, or (ii) by providing a duly signed written instruction by mail or delivered in person, clearly stating which shares they are referring to, the shareholder’s name and address, and their bank account details. Due to security reasons, email or fax instructions will not be accepted.

Dividend payments to shareholders on the Hong Kong register can only be remitted electronically, in Hong Kong dollars, to local bank accounts. Any shareholders who have not provided valid bank details will be issued with a cheque payment posted to the shareholder’s registered address.

Dividend in other currencies

In addition to the option to elect to receive payment in US dollars, it is possible to pay dividends to shareholders on the UK register in certain other currencies for a nominal handling charge. If you would like to take advantage of this facility, please visit Computershare Investor Centre - UK and add your overseas bank details to your account.

Dividend currency election
 

The Group’s consolidated financial statements are presented in US dollars (USD). Shareholders holding their shares on the UK and Hong Kong share registers will receive their dividend payments in pounds sterling or Hong Kong dollars (HKD) respectively unless they elect to receive payment in USD. Elections may be revoked and dividend payments will default to payments in pounds sterling or HKD respectively.

The timing for making such an election is announced at the time each dividend is approved and shareholders may contact Computershare for further information.

The cash dividend is quoted in USD and the amount that shareholders will receive per share in pounds sterling or in HKD is expected to be announced prior to the payment of the dividend.

How to make a currency election
For shares held in certificated form on the UK register, USD elections can be made by downloading the currency election form and returning it once completed to Computershare using the address detailed on the form.

Shareholders holding their shares in dematerialised form on the UK register will receive their dividends primarily in CREST. These shareholders will need to ensure that Euroclear UK and Ireland has set their dividend mandate flag accordingly. Furthermore, in order to receive dividends across the available currencies, pounds sterling and USD, these shareholders should provide CREST Memorandum Accounts for each of these currencies.

Alternatively, shareholders who do not opt to receive dividends in CREST should provide their bank account details to Computershare. USD bank account details can be provided via Computershare Investor Centre - UK.

CREST Members should ensure the relevant dividend election is also made or revoked in CREST.

For shares held in certificated form on the Hong Kong register, USD elections can be made or revoked using the currency election form that will be sent to shareholders by Computershare. Please contact Computershare using the details below if you do not receive the form.

If you take no action, your dividend will continue to be paid in the relevant currency set out above.

For further information, please contact Computershare.

Tax on dividends

For information on dividend allowances in the UK, visit the HMRC website.