BML Board Proposes Record Dividend Payout following Strong 2025 Results

The Board of Directors of Bank of Maldives has proposed a record dividend payout after the bank’s strongest financial year on record, signalling continued confidence in its profitability and capital position while offering enhanced returns to shareholders.

The board recommended a total dividend of MVR 60 per share for the 2025 financial year, with the overall payout expected to reach MVR 322.9 million. The final dividend remains subject to shareholder approval at the bank’s upcoming Annual General Meeting.

In addition to the cash dividend, the board has proposed issuing two bonus shares for each existing share as part of the final distribution. Following the issuance, the book value of each share is projected to stand at MVR 1,015.90, resulting in a combined shareholder benefit of MVR 2,091.80 per share when the dividend and bonus allocation are considered together.

The proposed bonus share issue is intended to strengthen the bank’s market capitalisation and broaden investor participation while supporting the development of the Maldivian capital market. Stock dividends of this nature typically increase liquidity by expanding the number of shares in circulation without requiring additional cash outflow from shareholders.

Eligibility for the dividend will be based on shareholders registered in the Shareholders’ Register as of the book closure date, in line with standard market practice. The proposal follows the bank’s announcement of record financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, including its highest ever profit and lending volumes.

Bank of Maldives remains one of the largest listed entities on the Maldives Stock Exchange and its dividend policy is closely watched by retail investors, institutional shareholders and pension funds given the bank’s consistent profitability and dominant market position.

The proposed payout comes at a time when investor interest in domestic equities is gradually increasing, supported by stronger corporate earnings and policy attention toward capital market development. Bonus share issuances are also viewed as a mechanism to improve trading activity in a relatively small market.

If approved at the Annual General Meeting, the dividend and bonus share distribution would represent one of the most significant shareholder return packages in the bank’s history. For investors and the broader market, the move signals continued earnings strength within the banking sector and reinforces the role of listed financial institutions in deepening the Maldives’ capital market and expanding long term investment opportunities.