Securities Times Securities China reporter learned that Ant Group (hereinafter referred to as "Ant") recently held a shareholders' meeting and approved the company's profit distribution plan. According to the plan, Ant Group will distribute dividends to all shareholders, and employees holding equity incentive tools will also enjoy corresponding economic benefits from the dividends.
interim results of operation
Ant Group stated that this dividend is based on the interim results of the company's operations. In recent times, the company has been fully focused on development, maintaining a stable trend in its main business and accelerating breakthroughs in innovative business. Based on confidence in future development and emphasis on shareholders and employees, the company has formulated this profit distribution plan after comprehensive consideration of reasonable returns to shareholders, sustainable operating capabilities, and future oriented continuous investment. Dividends will not affect future investments, and Ant will continue to reinvest in strategic directions such as AI.
It is understood that in 2023, Ant Group has determined three strategic directions of "AI First", "Alipay dual flywheel" and "accelerating globalization", laying out a new growth curve. In the past two years, Ant has accelerated AI application layout with Alipay as the core, and has served hundreds of millions of users in travel, government, medical, financial and other scenarios.
Ant Group stated in its employee letter that allowing shareholders and employees to share development achievements in a timely manner can further stimulate innovation and creativity, and enhance the company's long-term competitiveness.
This year is the 20th anniversary of Alipay, and it is also a new starting point for ants to move towards the next decade. Looking ahead to the future, Ant Group stated that it will adhere to the drive of technological innovation, continuously increase investment in talent and research and development, accelerate the embrace of the AI era, firmly promote globalization strategy, create greater value for customers, and create long-term returns for shareholders.
Looking back, Ant Group distributed dividends twice in March and December 2022, and conducted a share repurchase in July 2023.
Analysts point out that dividends and repurchases are both ways for companies to create returns for shareholders. Ant's series of dividends and repurchases in the past three years reflect Ant's relatively healthy business and financial situation, and can continue to create returns for shareholders. In addition, Ant has continuously increased its research and development investment in recent years, with annual R&D investment exceeding 20 billion yuan for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.
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