“Regarding the possible increase in the dividend during the year, we will hopefully return with positive news if the first quarter numbers are confirmed in the next few months”. That's what he said the CEO of Mediobanca, Alberto Nagel, during the shareholders' meeting to approve the 2014-2015 financial statements regarding the possibility of a higher dividend for the current year.
“We can contemplate a higher dividend – continued Nagel – if the first quarter results are confirmed in the coming quarters. But we must also pay attention because when the capital of a bank is subject to rules that change constantly, it is always necessary to have a safety buffer".
As for the request by some small shareholders to distribute the dividend or part of it in shares in the future (script dividend) instead of cash, Nagel said that this option is conceivable "knowing, however, that institutional investors tend to prefer mainly the cash part".
