Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallBased on the banks’ 2024 official dividend disclosures, ICBC has the highest directly reported ordinary-share payout percentage at 31.3%. China Construction Bank (CCB) reports 30.0% and says it has kept its payout ratio around 30% in recent years. Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) reports a 30% payout for its 2024 interim distribution. Bank of China (BOC) discloses its 2024 interim and final dividend amounts but the cited disclosure does not provide a directly comparable full-year payout percentage.
That does not prove ICBC is the highest-yielding stock today. A dividend yield requires a price from the same date, the same share class and the same currency basis. The figures below are historical 2024 disclosures, not live yields or forecasts.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What the 2024 disclosures actually show
The cleanest comparison in the available filings is the proportion of profit returned as ordinary-share cash dividends. On that measure, ICBC leads the group in the reported 2024 figures, followed by CCB. ABC’s 30% figure applies specifically to its interim distribution as a percentage of first-half net profit, so it is not identical to a full-year payout ratio. BOC’s cited passage gives dividend amounts but no comparable full-year percentage.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
| Bank | 2024 dividend disclosure | Normalized amount per ordinary share | Total cash dividends stated | Reported payout information | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Construction Bank | RMB0.403 cash dividend per share | RMB0.403 | RMB100.754 billion | 30.0% of net profit attributable to equity shareholders | The annual report says the dividend ratio has remained at a relatively high level and that the bank has maintained a payout ratio around 30% in recent years. |
| Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) | RMB3.080 per ten shares | RMB0.308, calculated as RMB3.080 divided by 10 | RMB109.773 billion in ordinary-share cash dividends | 31.3% cash-dividend percentage | The annual report also states: “Cash dividend ratio is 30%, creating real value returns to shareholders.” The 31.3% figure is the documented 2024 ordinary-share percentage. |
| Bank of China | RMB1.208 per ten shares interim plus RMB1.216 per ten shares proposed final | RMB0.2424 for the two components combined, calculated as RMB2.424 divided by 10 | Not stated in the cited passage | Not stated in the cited passage | The final amount is described as proposed in the dividend note, so readers should distinguish the proposal from a confirmed payment when checking the filing. |
| Agricultural Bank of China | RMB0.1164 interim plus RMB0.1255 final per ordinary share | RMB0.2419 | RMB84.661 billion | The interim payment represented 30% of first-half net profit | The 30% statistic is for the interim distribution, not a directly stated full-year payout ratio. |
Per-share numbers are not a ranking by themselves. ICBC and BOC quote amounts per ten shares, while CCB and ABC quote amounts per share. Converting the units makes the table readable, but a yield comparison still needs a market price for the relevant listing.
#1 Best Overall
Why payout percentage and dividend yield are different
A payout ratio answers, “What share of profit was distributed?” A dividend yield answers, “What cash dividend does an investor receive relative to the price paid?” They answer different questions.
The basic trailing-yield calculation is:
trailing dividend yield = cash dividends per share for the chosen period ÷ current share price × 100
For a fair comparison, use all of the following consistently:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- The same measurement date for every share price.
- The same listing type: mainland A shares or Hong Kong H shares.
- The same dividend period, such as the full 2024 distribution.
- The same currency, with an explicit exchange rate if price and dividend are quoted in different currencies.
- The same treatment of interim, final and special dividends.
- A clear tax basis: gross yield before withholding or net cash received after applicable taxes.
An investor who divides a 2024 dividend by a 2026 price is calculating a historical-distribution yield at a current price, not a forecast of the next payment. That can be useful, but it should be labelled accurately. A forward yield requires an estimate of future dividends and therefore carries additional uncertainty.
China Construction Bank: the case for a stable income profile
What was paid in 2024
CCB reported a RMB0.403 cash dividend per share for 2024, equal to RMB100.754 billion in total cash dividends. The annual report puts the distribution at 30.0% of net profit attributable to equity shareholders.
Rank #2
- Comes with secure packaging
- Easy to read text
- It can be a gift option
Why income investors may value the disclosure
CCB does more than publish a single-year percentage. Its annual-report language says the dividend ratio “remained at a relatively high level,” and the bank explicitly says it has maintained a payout ratio around 30% in recent years. That multi-year statement gives an income investor a policy reference instead of only one historical observation.
A policy reference is not a guarantee. The reported ratio can change when profit changes, when regulators alter capital expectations, or when the board changes its distribution decision. Still, the combination of a 30.0% 2024 ratio and a stated recent pattern around 30% makes CCB the clearest candidate for investors who prioritize an articulated payout framework.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →What the 2024 figure cannot tell you
RMB0.403 is not a live yield until it is divided by the price of the exact CCB share class being purchased. It also does not predict the next interim or final amount. Before buying, check the latest annual and interim reports for the current payout proposal, retained earnings, capital requirements and any change in the wording of the policy.
ICBC: highest documented 2024 payout percentage
The reported distribution
ICBC disclosed RMB3.080 per ten shares in 2024, or RMB0.308 per share after unit conversion. It reported RMB109.773 billion in ordinary-share cash dividends and a 31.3% cash-dividend percentage.
Interpreting the 31.3% number alongside the 30% statement
The annual report also says, “Cash dividend ratio is 30%, creating real value returns to shareholders.” Those statements should not be forced into a contradiction. The 31.3% figure is the documented 2024 ordinary-share cash-dividend percentage, while the 30% wording describes the bank’s stated policy or target level. For a historical ranking, use 31.3%; for expectations, treat the 30% language as a policy indication rather than a promise.
Income-investor implications
On the evidence available here, ICBC has the strongest directly comparable 2024 payout percentage among the four banks. That makes it the starting point for an income screen, not an automatic buy signal. The stock with the highest payout percentage can still have a lower market yield if its share price is higher relative to the dividend. The comparison also says nothing by itself about dividend growth, earnings volatility or the safety of future distributions.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Bank of China: clear dividend amounts, incomplete payout comparison
Interim and proposed final components
BOC’s 2024 dividend note cites an interim dividend of RMB1.208 per ten shares and a proposed final dividend of RMB1.216 per ten shares. Together those components equal RMB2.424 per ten shares, or RMB0.2424 per share after conversion.
Why BOC cannot be ranked by payout percentage from this evidence
The cited disclosure does not provide a directly comparable full-year payout percentage. That is a data limitation, not evidence that BOC paid less or more than the other banks. To calculate a comparable ratio, an investor would need the relevant full-year profit attributable to ordinary shareholders and the final ordinary-share cash distribution from the same reporting basis.
The word “proposed” also matters. A proposal is not the same as a completed payment. Confirm the shareholder approval, record date and payment status in the latest company announcement before treating the full RMB2.424-per-ten-share amount as cash already received.
Agricultural Bank of China: 30% interim payout, RMB0.2419 total per share
2024 amounts
ABC disclosed an interim dividend of RMB0.1164 per ordinary share and a final dividend of RMB0.1255 per ordinary share. The two amounts total RMB0.2419 per share, and the bank stated total cash dividends of RMB84.661 billion.
How to read the 30% statistic
ABC said the interim payment represented 30% of first-half net profit. That is useful evidence of the interim distribution policy, but it is not the same metric as a full-year payout ratio calculated against the entire year’s profit. The final payment can make the full-year percentage higher or lower depending on second-half earnings and the board’s decision.
For an income comparison, calculate ABC’s full-year yield from the combined RMB0.2419 dividend and the current price of the selected A or H share. Do not compare the 30% interim ratio directly with ICBC’s 31.3% full-year figure as though the periods were identical.
Which bank is better for different income-investor priorities?
| Investor priority | Best-supported starting point | Reason | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest documented 2024 payout percentage | ICBC | 31.3% ordinary-share cash-dividend percentage | Current price, share class, tax and the latest dividend proposal |
| Explicit recent payout consistency | CCB | 30.0% in 2024 and a statement that payouts have stayed around 30% in recent years | Whether the latest reports preserve that policy and how the market price affects yield |
| Known interim distribution ratio | ABC | 30% of first-half net profit for the 2024 interim payment | Full-year payout calculation and future final-dividend policy |
| Dividend-amount visibility without a comparable ratio | BOC | Interim and proposed final amounts are disclosed | Confirmed payment status and a full-year payout percentage from comparable accounts |
This is a ranking of the documented evidence, not a claim that one stock is universally superior. An investor seeking the largest cash return may reach a different conclusion from an investor seeking the lowest valuation, the most predictable payment schedule or the strongest balance-sheet cushion.
Capital strength, asset quality and margin pressure: the safety checks
Dividend history is only one part of bank-stock income analysis. The supplied 2024 dividend disclosures do not establish current rankings for capital strength, asset quality or net-interest margin, and those measures must be refreshed with the latest financial statements before publication of a current investment decision.
Capital strength
Review the latest common-equity tier 1, tier 1 and total capital ratios, together with the applicable regulatory minimums and management buffers. A payout that looks generous can become less secure if capital is needed to absorb losses or support loan growth. Compare each ratio with the bank’s own prior periods and with the regulatory requirement for that institution, rather than comparing isolated percentages without context.
Asset quality
Check non-performing-loan ratios, special-mention loans, allowance coverage and write-off trends. Also examine concentration by borrower type, region and sector. Reported loan quality can deteriorate after a dividend is declared, so the latest interim report matters more than an older annual figure when assessing forward safety.
Net-interest margin
Net-interest margin, or NIM, is the spread between interest earned on assets and interest paid on funding, expressed relative to earning assets. A falling NIM can pressure earnings even when loan balances grow. Compare the direction of NIM, loan pricing, deposit costs and fee income in the latest reports. Do not assume that a past payout percentage will remain affordable if profitability is under sustained pressure.
Policy and regulatory risk
Large Chinese banks operate within a policy environment in which capital, lending priorities and shareholder-return expectations can change. Read the latest board dividend proposal, annual general meeting materials and regulatory disclosures for any conditions attached to distributions. A stated payout ratio is a policy signal, not an irrevocable contract.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA practical method for calculating today’s comparable yield
- Choose the listing. Decide whether you are evaluating the mainland A share or Hong Kong H share. Record the ticker, exchange and share currency.
- Fix the valuation date. Use closing prices from the same trading day for CCB, ICBC, BOC and ABC. Do not mix a delayed quote for one bank with a live quote for another.
- Define the dividend period. For a historical 2024 comparison, use the full 2024 interim plus final distribution where both are confirmed. Keep BOC’s proposed final amount clearly marked until its payment is confirmed.
- Normalize units. Convert per-ten-share disclosures to per-share figures: ICBC RMB3.080 becomes RMB0.308, and BOC’s RMB2.424 combined amount becomes RMB0.2424.
- Convert currencies. If the dividend is reported in renminbi but the share price is in Hong Kong dollars, apply one stated exchange rate and date. Show whether the result is before or after currency conversion.
- Calculate gross yield. Divide the normalized cash dividend by the same share class’s price and multiply by 100.
- Calculate net yield if relevant. Apply the withholding and local tax treatment that your broker and tax authority specify for your residence. Keep gross and net results in separate columns.
- Check payment timing. Record ex-dividend, record and payment dates. A share bought after the ex-dividend date may not receive the declared distribution, even if the headline annual amount is unchanged.
- Stress-test the assumption. Recalculate the yield using a lower future dividend and a higher share price. This shows how dependent the income case is on one historical payment.
A-share and H-share issues that can change the result
The same bank can have A-share and H-share listings with different prices, trading currencies and investor-access rules. A per-share dividend in renminbi cannot be compared directly with a Hong Kong-dollar price without conversion. Market prices can also diverge between the two listings, so the resulting gross yield may differ even though the underlying dividend declaration is related.
Your domicile can affect withholding, treaty relief, reporting obligations and the cash amount credited by the broker. The applicable treatment depends on residence, account type, share class and the intermediary’s procedures. Confirm those details before treating a quoted gross yield as spendable income.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling ICBC the highest-yield stock without a price date. ICBC leads the documented 2024 payout-percentage comparison, but yield requires a synchronized market-price calculation.
- Comparing per-share and per-ten-share figures without conversion. This can make BOC or ICBC appear to pay ten times more or less than it actually does.
- Treating ABC’s interim ratio as a full-year ratio. Its 30% statistic covers first-half profit and the interim payment.
- Assuming BOC’s proposed final dividend was already paid. Verify approval and payment status.
- Using a single bank’s share price for all four dividends. Each yield must use the price of that bank and listing.
- Ignoring taxes and currency conversion. Gross renminbi dividends are not the same as net cash in an overseas account.
- Assuming a historical payout guarantees the next one. Earnings, capital needs, regulation and board decisions can change future distributions.
- Ranking safety from dividend percentage alone. Capital ratios, loan quality, provisions and NIM trends determine whether a payout is durable.
Bottom line for an income-investor shortlist
If your first screen is the highest directly reported 2024 ordinary-share payout percentage, ICBC ranks first at 31.3%. If you place more weight on an explicitly described multi-year payout pattern, CCB offers the clearest statement: 30.0% for 2024 and a recent ratio around 30%. ABC provides a 30% interim payout statistic and RMB0.2419 per share for the combined 2024 interim and final distributions. BOC provides RMB2.424 per ten shares across its interim and proposed final amounts, but the cited disclosure does not establish a comparable full-year payout percentage.
The final choice should come only after you build a same-day A-share or H-share price table, calculate each gross and net yield on the same basis, confirm dividend payment status and review current capital, asset-quality and margin data. Until that work is done, the defensible conclusion is about documented payout policy—not which bank is today’s highest-yield stock.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
