ATX corporations post profit increase in 2025, but lower payout ratio

The partly state-owned OMV pays out the most in nominal terms of all listed companies. However, OMV's dividend payments totalling more than 1.4 billion euros this year, despite a reduction of 7.4 percent, exceed the profit attributable to shareholders, which fell by almost 27 percent to around 1 billion euros. According to the Chamber of Labour, OMV AG distributes 141.4 percent of the corresponding result to its shareholders.

Financial and energy giants lead on dividends

The majority state-owned energy group Verbund, with 1.1 billion euros (plus 12.5 percent), is also among the largest payers. Verbund is also at a very high level with a payout ratio of 73.5 percent.

By far the steepest dividend increase was posted by RBI, Raiffeisen Bank International, with 525.2 million euros (plus 45.6 percent), followed by the steel group voestalpine (plus 25 percent, to 128.6 million euros). The construction giant Strabag with 334.8 million euros (plus 16 percent), as well as the construction group Porr (plus 20.1 percent, to 40.6 million euros) and the Vienna-based catering group DO&CO (plus 25 percent, to 27.5 million euros) are also paying out significantly more than in the previous year.

Erste Group Bank slipped out of the top 5 for the reasons mentioned and ranks in sixth place. It should be noted that Erste Group fully financed the takeover of Bank Polska internally and therefore capped the dividend payout ratio at 10 percent; it is cutting its dividend payment by 75 percent compared to the previous year, to 291.3 million euros.

Chamber of Labour criticism of individual corporations

The average payout ratio among the 20 ATX companies with positive results is 44.5 percent according to the AK, and thus below the level of previous years (2024/25: 51.9 percent and 2023/24: 50.3 percent). Given the current economic situation, the corporations' payouts are still to be assessed as comparatively high.

At some companies the payout ratio is in any case clearly too high, the AK criticises. In addition to OMV and Verbund, the majority state-owned Österreichische Post AG also falls into the top range with its traditionally very high payout ratio of 93.5 percent this year.

Overall, the 2025 balance sheet of the ATX corporations shows a mixed picture: the companies earn more, but on average distribute less of the profit to their owners than recently. Individual sectors and companies deviate significantly from the average.

The AK study also points out that the high dividend payments of some ATX firms are difficult to understand in a phase of weak economic activity. The trade union organisation therefore calls for a more restrained payout policy, especially at companies with majority owners from the public sector.