Standard Chartered Kenya Dividend 2026: FY2025 Profit −38% — What the KES 23.00 Payout Means for Shareholders
✅ Updated June 13, 2026: The FY2025 final Standard Chartered Kenya dividend is now confirmed at KES 15.00 per share — bringing the total FY2025 annual dividend to KES 23.00 (KES 8.00 interim + KES 15.00 final). Book close was April 30, 2026. Payment was made May 30, 2026. All figures in this article have been updated to reflect confirmed results.
Standard Chartered Kenya’s FY2025 results marked the sharpest annual profit decline in the bank’s listed history — a 38% fall to KES 12.4 billion — and the dividend that followed told shareholders exactly how the board read that situation. The FY2025 total payout of KES 23.00 per share is a 49% cut from the KES 45.00 paid in FY2024. For income investors who held SCBK for its market-leading yield, this article covers what happened, what you received, and what the Q1 2026 results now tell us about where this story goes from here.
Table of Contents
- Standard Chartered Kenya FY2025 — Key Numbers at a Glance
- What Actually Happened — The FY2025 Results Explained
- The FY2025 Dividend — Confirmed Figures
- What Shareholders Received — Net Earnings Table
- Standard Chartered Kenya Dividend History — 5-Year Table
- The Payout Ratio — Updated Assessment
- Standard Chartered Kenya vs NSE Banking Peers
- Is Standard Chartered Kenya Worth Holding in 2026?
- What the Q1 2026 Results Add to the Picture
- Frequently Asked Questions
Standard Chartered Kenya FY2025 — Key Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NSE ticker | SCBK |
| FY2025 profit after tax | KES 12.4 billion (−38% vs FY2024) |
| Total FY2025 dividend per share | KES 23.00 (confirmed) |
| Interim dividend paid (October 2025) | KES 8.00 per share ✅ |
| Final dividend per share | KES 15.00 per share ✅ |
| Book close date (final) | April 30, 2026 ✅ |
| Final dividend payment date | May 30, 2026 ✅ |
| Current dividend yield (at KES 330) | ~7.0% |
| Payout ratio (FY2025) | ~63% of PAT |
| Market segment | Main Investment Market Segment |
| CEO status | Kariuki Ngari exited April 2026 — new leadership transition underway |
What Actually Happened — The FY2025 Results Explained
Standard Chartered Kenya posted profit after tax of KES 12.4 billion for the full year ended December 31, 2025 — a 38% decline from KES 20.1 billion in FY2024. It was the bank’s steepest annual profit fall since listing and made Standard Chartered the only major NSE-listed bank to record a profit decline in 2025, in a year when Equity Group grew 55% and KCB grew 11%.
| Metric | FY2024 | FY2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit after tax | KES 20.1 billion | KES 12.4 billion | −38% |
| Net interest income | KES 33.3 billion | KES 28.9 billion | −13% |
| Non-funded income | KES 17.4 billion | KES 13.4 billion | −23% |
| Customer deposits | KES 295.7 billion | KES 283 billion | −4% |
| Net loans and advances | ~KES 151 billion | KES 154.3 billion | +2% |
The CBK Rate Cycle Did the Most Damage
The primary cause was the Central Bank of Kenya’s interest rate cutting cycle. As the CBK cut its benchmark rate from 11.25% in January 2025 to 9.00% by December 2025 — and further to 8.75% by March 2026 — net interest income fell 13% to KES 28.9 billion. Non-funded income also declined 23% to KES 13.4 billion, amplifying the damage.
Standard Chartered’s earnings are heavily weighted toward net interest margins — the spread between what it earns on loans and pays on deposits. This structure means it is more sensitive to rate cuts than retail-focused peers like Equity and KCB, which benefit from low-cost deposit bases and high-volume transaction income that is less rate-dependent.
The One-Off Pension Charge
The FY2025 results included a KES 2.59 billion one-off pension liability charge that significantly depressed the reported profit. Stripping out this one-off, the underlying profit decline is real but less severe than the headline 38% figure suggests. Management has not indicated this charge will recur.
Leadership Transition
Kariuki Ngari, who served as Standard Chartered Kenya’s CEO for several years, formally exited in April 2026 after 24 years at the institution. The incoming leadership will conduct a strategic review — the results of which will directly influence dividend policy for FY2026. Monitor Standard Chartered Kenya’s investor communications through 2026 for any guidance on the new direction.
The FY2025 Dividend — Confirmed Figures
Standard Chartered Kenya declared a total FY2025 dividend of KES 23.00 per ordinary share — comprising:
- KES 8.00 interim — paid October 7, 2025 to shareholders on the September 2025 register
- KES 15.00 final — paid May 30, 2026 to shareholders registered at the April 30, 2026 book close
This represents a 49% cut from the FY2024 total of KES 45.00 per share. It is the first dividend reduction Standard Chartered Kenya has declared in five years — and it is directly attributable to the 38% profit decline. The board reduced the payout to bring it within a sustainable range relative to earnings, rather than maintaining the prior year’s level through retained earnings drawdown.
What this tells you about management confidence: A 49% dividend cut is not a comfortable decision for any board. The fact that it was made rather than avoided through reserves suggests the board is not yet confident that 2026 earnings will recover to a level that would support a larger payout. Watch the FY2026 full-year announcement for whether the dividend returns toward KES 30–35 as earnings potentially normalise.
What Shareholders Received — Net Earnings Table
All figures below show net amounts after 5% withholding tax, deducted automatically before payment. No filing required.
Interim dividend — KES 8.00 per share (paid October 2025)
Net per share: KES 7.60
| Shares held | Gross | 5% WHT | Net received |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 shares | KES 400 | KES 20 | KES 380 |
| 100 shares | KES 800 | KES 40 | KES 760 |
| 200 shares | KES 1,600 | KES 80 | KES 1,520 |
| 500 shares | KES 4,000 | KES 200 | KES 3,800 |
| 1,000 shares | KES 8,000 | KES 400 | KES 7,600 |
Final dividend — KES 15.00 per share (paid May 30, 2026)
Net per share: KES 14.25
| Shares held | Gross | 5% WHT | Net received |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 shares | KES 750 | KES 38 | KES 713 |
| 100 shares | KES 1,500 | KES 75 | KES 1,425 |
| 200 shares | KES 3,000 | KES 150 | KES 2,850 |
| 500 shares | KES 7,500 | KES 375 | KES 7,125 |
| 1,000 shares | KES 15,000 | KES 750 | KES 14,250 |
Total FY2025 dividend — KES 23.00 per share
Net per share: KES 21.85
| Shares held | Gross total | 5% WHT | Net total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 shares | KES 1,150 | KES 58 | KES 1,093 |
| 100 shares | KES 2,300 | KES 115 | KES 2,185 |
| 200 shares | KES 4,600 | KES 230 | KES 4,370 |
| 500 shares | KES 11,500 | KES 575 | KES 10,925 |
| 1,000 shares | KES 23,000 | KES 1,150 | KES 21,850 |
Standard Chartered Kenya Dividend History — 5-Year Table
| Year | Interim | Final | Total DPS | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | KES 8.00 | KES 20.00 | KES 28.00 | — |
| 2022 | KES 8.00 | KES 22.00 | KES 30.00 | +7.1% |
| 2023 | KES 8.00 | KES 26.00 | KES 34.00 | +13.3% |
| 2024 | KES 8.00 | KES 37.00 | KES 45.00 | +32.4% |
| 2025 | KES 8.00 | KES 15.00 | KES 23.00 | −48.9% |
Four consecutive years of dividend growth from KES 28.00 to KES 45.00 — then a 49% cut. This is the most important single data point for any income investor holding SCBK. The direction of FY2026 earnings will determine whether this is a one-year correction or the beginning of a more sustained reduction.
The Payout Ratio — Updated Assessment
When this article was first published in March 2026, the payout ratio concern centred on a potential 123% figure — paying more than 100% of earnings in dividends. The confirmed FY2025 total dividend of KES 23.00 paints a different picture.
Updated payout ratio calculation:
- FY2025 profit after tax: KES 12.4 billion
- Total dividend pool (KES 23.00 × approximately 342 million shares): approximately KES 7.87 billion
- Payout ratio: approximately 63% of PAT
63% is still higher than most NSE banking peers — Equity at 29%, KCB at 33%, COOP at 49% — but it is no longer in the danger zone of paying out more than is earned. The dividend cut achieved its purpose: bringing the payout to a level that earnings can support.
The remaining risk: if Q1 2026 results (profit down a further 26.3% year-on-year) are representative of the full year, FY2026 PAT could come in significantly below KES 12.4 billion. At that level, even KES 23.00 begins to stress the payout ratio again. This is why the Q1 2026 results matter for existing SCBK shareholders — they are the first read of whether the earnings recovery is happening or being delayed.
Standard Chartered Kenya vs NSE Banking Peers
| Bank | FY2025 Dividend | Yield | Payout ratio | FY2025 profit trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Chartered | KES 23.00 | ~7% | ~63% | −38% |
| Stanbic Holdings | KES 18.55 | ~11.3% | ~64% | Stable |
| Co-operative Bank | KES 2.50 | ~7.9% | ~49% | +16.9% |
| KCB Group | KES 7.00 | ~10.3% | ~33% | +11% |
| Equity Group | KES 5.75 | ~8.0% | ~29% | +55% |
The comparison reveals something important: after the dividend cut, Standard Chartered Kenya’s yield has compressed considerably from the 13.3% cited earlier in 2026. At approximately 7% — depending on where the share price settles — it is no longer the highest-yielding NSE banking stock. Stanbic at 11.3% on a 64% payout and KCB at 10.3% on a 33% payout both offer more attractive risk-adjusted income.
Is Standard Chartered Kenya Worth Holding in 2026?
The investment case for SCBK in 2026 is fundamentally a bet on two things: the interest rate cycle turning and leadership continuity producing a credible earnings recovery plan.
Hold or accumulate if:
- You believe CBK rates will rise or stabilise from 8.75%, which would directly recover StanChart’s net interest margin — the core driver of the profit decline
- You are comfortable with a yield of approximately 7% from a bank with significant balance sheet strength (KES 65.6 billion shareholders’ equity) and improving asset quality (NPLs at the lowest level since 2015 as at Q1 2026)
- You are investing for recovery upside — if FY2026 earnings normalise toward KES 16–18 billion, the current share price becomes materially undervalued
Approach with caution if:
- You depend on predictable, growing dividend income — the FY2025 cut has broken the five-year growth streak and FY2026 guidance is absent
- You want the highest safe yield on the NSE — at the current yield level, KCB, Stanbic, and COOP offer comparable or higher yields with better earnings coverage
The pivot to watch: The incoming CEO’s first full-year results and any strategic communication on 2026 dividend intentions will be the clearest signal of where this goes. New leadership at a bank in earnings pressure typically brings either a credible recovery plan or a further reassessment of sustainable payout levels.
What the Q1 2026 Results Add to the Picture
Standard Chartered Kenya’s Q1 2026 results — released May 2026 — added an important and sobering update to the FY2025 story. Profit after tax fell a further 26.3% year-on-year to KES 3.58 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Net interest income declined 23.3% to KES 6.29 billion — the steepest quarterly NII decline on record.
The positive counterweight: gross NPLs fell 26.7% to KES 8.95 billion, the lowest since Q1 2015. Loans grew 19.96% to KES 165.38 billion — the highest Q1 loan book on record. Total assets crossed KES 400 billion. Non-interest income grew 10.3%.
The Q1 2026 results confirm that the margin compression driving the FY2025 profit decline has not yet reversed. If the Q1 trajectory holds through 2026, FY2026 PAT could come in below KES 12.4 billion — putting the KES 23.00 dividend under renewed pressure for FY2026.
For the full Q1 2026 results analysis including the peer comparison table and dividend sustainability verdict, see our dedicated Standard Chartered Kenya Q1 2026 Results guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Standard Chartered Kenya FY2025 total dividend? The confirmed total FY2025 dividend is KES 23.00 per share — comprising KES 8.00 interim paid October 2025 and KES 15.00 final paid May 30, 2026. This is a 49% reduction from the KES 45.00 total dividend paid in FY2024, reflecting the bank’s 38% profit decline in FY2025.
When was the Standard Chartered Kenya FY2025 final dividend paid? The KES 15.00 final dividend was paid on May 30, 2026 to all shareholders registered at the April 30, 2026 book close date. Net per share after 5% withholding tax is KES 14.25. If you held shares at April 30 and have not received payment, contact your broker with your CDS number and National ID.
Why did Standard Chartered Kenya cut its dividend for FY2025? The FY2025 profit after tax fell 38% to KES 12.4 billion — driven by net interest margin compression from the CBK interest rate cutting cycle and a KES 2.59 billion one-off pension charge. Maintaining the prior year’s KES 45.00 dividend would have resulted in a payout ratio well above 100%, which the board chose not to sustain. The KES 23.00 payout represents a more defensible 63% of FY2025 earnings.
What is Standard Chartered Kenya’s dividend yield in 2026? Based on the confirmed KES 23.00 FY2025 total dividend, the yield is approximately 7% at a share price of around KES 330 — significantly lower than the 13.33% yield cited in early 2026 forecasts that assumed the KES 45.00 dividend would be maintained. Verify the current share price at nse.co.ke before calculating your entry yield.
How does Standard Chartered Kenya’s dividend compare to KCB and Equity? After the cut, StanChart’s approximately 7% yield is broadly comparable to Equity (8%) but below KCB (10.3%) and Stanbic (11.3%). More importantly, KCB’s 33% payout ratio and Equity’s 29% payout ratio offer significantly better earnings coverage than StanChart’s 63% — meaning KCB and Equity dividends are more likely to grow, while StanChart’s path depends on an earnings recovery. See our KCB dividend 2026 guide and Equity Bank dividend 2026 guide for the full breakdowns.
Is the Standard Chartered Kenya dividend likely to recover in FY2026? This depends entirely on whether net interest margins recover as the CBK rate cycle stabilises. Q1 2026 results — profit down a further 26.3% — suggest the recovery has not yet started. If H2 2026 brings rate stabilisation and a new CEO strategy, FY2026 earnings could partially recover and the FY2026 dividend could return toward KES 28–32. This is not a guarantee. Existing shareholders should monitor the H1 2026 results announcement for the first clear signal.
Looking Ahead — Key Dates to Watch
| Event | Expected timing | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| H1 FY2026 results | August 2026 | First clean read on margin recovery under new CEO |
| Q3 FY2026 trading update | October/November 2026 | Whether NII decline is moderating |
| FY2026 full-year results | March 2026 | New CEO’s first full-year results and dividend guidance |
| CBK MPC meetings | Quarterly | Rate decisions that directly affect NIM |
The single most important indicator to track is net interest income. If NII stabilises and begins recovering by H2 2026, Standard Chartered Kenya’s earnings and dividend story could look materially different by March 2027. If NII continues declining, the pressure on the FY2026 payout increases.
For all confirmed NSE dividend payment dates happening right now, see our NSE dividend payment dates June 2026 guide.
FY2025 results confirmed March 18, 2026. Final dividend KES 15.00 per share confirmed, book close April 30, payment May 30, 2026. Q1 2026 results sourced from Kenyan Wallstreet (May 27, 2026) and HapaKenya (May 27, 2026). Share price figures for yield calculation — verify current price at nse.co.ke. CEO transition confirmed April 2026. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Last updated: June 13, 2026.
