The Board of Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust plc (LON:ORIT) has declared an interim dividend in respect of the period from 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023 of 1.45 pence per ordinary share, payable on 23 February 2024 to shareholders on the register at 9 February 2024. The ex-dividend date will be 8 February 2024.
A portion of the Company’s dividend is designated as an interest distribution for UK tax purposes. The interest streaming percentage for the Q4 2023 Dividend is 59.6%.
The Q4 2023 dividend is the final of four dividends totalling 5.79 pence per ordinary share for the financial year to 31 December 2023, meeting the Company’s FY 2023 dividend target in full. The dividend is fully covered by cashflows arising from the Company’s portfolio of assets.
As announced on 18 January 2024, and in line with the Company’s dividend policy, the target for the financial year from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 is 6.02 pence per ordinary share*. This increase of 4.0% over FY 2023’s dividend cover is in line with the increase to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12 months to 31 December 2023, and marks the third consecutive year the Company has chosen to increase its dividend target in line with inflation. The FY 2024 dividend target is expected to be fully covered by cashflows generated from the Company’s operating portfolio.
*The dividend target stated in this announcement is a target only and not a profit forecast. There can be no assurance that this target will be met, or that the Company will make any distributions at all and it should not be taken as an indication of the Company’s expected future results. The Company’s actual returns will depend upon a number of factors, including but not limited to the Company’s net income and level of ongoing charges. Accordingly, potential investors should not place any reliance on this target and should decide for themselves whether or not the target dividend is reasonable or achievable. Investors should note that references in this announcement to “dividends” and “distributions” are intended to cover both dividend income and income which is designated as an interest distribution for UK tax purposes and therefore subject to the interest streaming regime applicable to investment trusts.
Octopus Energy Generation is driving the renewable energy agenda by building green power for the future. Its specialist renewable energy fund management team invests in renewable energy assets and broader projects helping the energy transition, across operational, construction and development stages. The team was set up in 2010 based on the belief that investors can play a vital role in accelerating the shift to a future powered by renewable energy. It has a 13-year track record with approximately £6.0 billion of assets under management (AUM) (as of 30 September 2023) across 16 countries and total 3.3GW. These renewable projects generate enough green energy to power 2.4 million homes every year, the equivalent of taking over 1.2 million petrol cars off the road. Octopus Energy Generation is the trading name of Octopus Renewables Limited.
