TOKYO — Japanese companies are set to raise their dividends to a fifth straight record high this fiscal year, even with trade tensions expected to erode earnings, in a potential boost to consumer spending as inflation drags down real wages.
Annual dividends at about 2,300 companies that close their books in March are expected to grow 3% to 19.99 trillion yen ($136 billion), according to calculations by Nikkei, based on multiplying annual dividends by outstanding shares. QUICK consensus market forecasts were used for companies that have not disclosed dividend projections of their own.
