MCOT to pay interim dividend next month

BANGKOK, April 26 (TNA) - MCOT Public Company Limited, a leading Thai multimedia firm, has announced that it has approved its interim dividend payment from the company’s operating performance during the second half of last year at 1.1 baht per share. MCOT President Anek Permwongseni made the announcement, saying stakeholders will receive their interim dividend payment on May 22, 2014. According to the president, MCOT’s net operating profit in 2013 was 1.52 billion baht; so, the dividend payment for the whole 2013 year will be at 2.11 baht per share, making the full-year payout ratio at 95 per cent per share. Interim dividend payment from the company’s operating performance during the first half of last year at 1 baht per share were made in October 21, 2013. During Friday's meeting, stakeholders also ratified a deal to acknowledge MCOT’s accusation of digital licenses for a high-definition (HD) channel and a standard-definition (SD) children’s channel. The company won a bid for the HD channel at 3.34 billion baht and for the SD channel at 660 million baht during auctions of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). (TNA)