# Record Rs 5.13 tn dividends, payout ratio at 12-year low 2026-08-15T02:56:15+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet BSE 500 companies paid a record Rs 5.13 trillion in dividends in FY26, according to Mint. However, the payout ratio, dividends as a share of net profit, fell to a 12-year low of 27.6% from 30.4% in FY25, as profits grew faster than dividend increases. Some firms bucked the trend with payouts exceeding profits. ICICI Prudential Asset Management had a payout ratio of 153%, Oracle Financial Services Software 132%, and Colgate-Palmolive India 119%. These companies are debt-free, cash-rich, and have low capital expenditure needs, allowing them to return surplus funds even as earnings grow. The overall shift toward profit retention reflects subdued investment appetite. Ambit Capital noted that top 10 corporate houses accounted for 61% of listed capital expenditure. Companies have favored dividends and buybacks over greenfield expansion, leaving the question of whether retained cash will translate into sustained investment. ## Coverage - livemint.com - livemint.com Tags: ICICI Prudential Asset Management, India, Oracle Financial Services Software Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/three-stocks-paid-more-than-their-fy26-profits-in-dividends/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/three-stocks-paid-more-than-their-fy26-profits-in-dividends/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.