Dividend Watch: Big Dividends in ADRs (AZN, GSK, NOK, TMX)

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
By Jon C. Ogg Updated Published

Invalid Image
American Depository Receipts, or ADRs, are generally called American Depository Shares, or ADSs, now.  We found after some routine screens that there were many 3%, 4%, and 5% or higher dividend yields available for investors.  The big caveat is that these dividends all have to be considered ‘moving targets’ because they fluctuate in dollar terms as their underlying currencies change levels.  We used the most recent payouts and analyzed past trends on an annualized basis for the implied yields.  We identified four such dividends for our “Daily Dividend” and have the screen on for more tomorrow:

Astrazeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN) pays twice a year and we had to split the past two dividends as a result.  At $49.02, the drug giant’s implied yield is close to 5.2% and these ADRs have traded in a range of $40.30 to $53.53 in the last 52-weeks.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE: GSK) is one that has to be interpolated and applied to last year and expectations, but at $40.80 with a 52-week trading range of $32.15 to $42.10 per ADR, this drug giant has a yield that would be close to 5.1%.

Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK) pays only an annual yield and it has proposed a 0.40 euro per share dividend for its annual meeting next month in May.  This gives the currency risk even more room for error, but if we just keep it static then the payout would come to close to 6.4% since its $8.66 ADR price is so low against a 52-week range of $7.73 to $15.47. Maybe this is the only good thing happening at Nokia.

Telefonos de Mexico SA de CV (NYSE: TMX) at $18.38 pays close to a 6% yield and ADRs have traded in a range of $13.00 to $18.94 in the last 52-weeks.  The Mexican telecom operator is one of the highest yields in Latin America.

Again, ADRs pay dividends based upon the local accounting standards.  Not all are quarterly and the currency fluctuations and the timing can vary greatly here.  There is no free lunch, but you already know that.  As always, know what you are investing in.

JON C. OGG

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. www.247wallst.com.

Featured Reads

Our top personal finance-related articles today. Your wallet will thank you later.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

ABNB Vol: 15,913,532
MCHP Vol: 19,139,274
PLTR Vol: 77,244,625
MRNA Vol: 6,820,582
AXON Vol: 1,591,869

Top Losing Stocks

TTD Vol: 133,458,224
CTRA Vol: 73,319,495
AKAM Vol: 8,143,961
ZTS Vol: 12,784,553
RMD Vol: 3,810,438