Tag: dividends

The operating environment during the first half of the year was challenging. Uncertainty around US policies, especially tariffs and ongoing geopolitical conflicts, caused significant volatility in financial markets. These factors also reduced business confidence.

A 26% increase in headline earnings per share and a robust balance sheet enabled an 81% increase in the interim dividend per share. The South African economy held up relatively well as global economic conditions deteriorated significantly in the first half of 2022.

Section 1 of the Income Tax Act (ITA) defines a 'dividend' to be any amount transferred by a resident company for the benefit of any person in respect of any share in that company whether by way of a distribution or consideration for a share repurchase, but does not exclude a reduction of contributed tax capital of the company.

In the 2017 Budget, delivered by the Minister of Finance, it was proposed that additional measures will be considered to circumvent transactions where investors choose to realise their share investments by means of having the shares they hold in a company bought back and characterised as a dividend, while being paid for by means of a new investor subscribing for shares in the same company. This followed on the back of a similar announcement in 2016, whereafter no two specific countermeasures were introduced.

After much speculation over the past few weeks as to how the Minister of Finance would ‘plug the deficit’ in his Budget Speech on 22 February 2017, he has chosen to rely on personal income tax (including trusts) by increasing the top-end rate from 41% to 45%, a dividend withholding tax increase from 15% to 20% (with immediate effect) and increased Fuel and Road Accident Fund levies.

Personal Income Tax As many pundits predicted, the Minister of Finance today announced a new 45% tax bracket for individuals which will apply to taxable...

On 11 January 2017, President Zuma signed the following Finance Bills into Law. Taxation Laws Amendment Act The main purpose of the Bill is to amend...