WAM Leaders Increases Fully Franked Full Year Dividend

WAM Leaders Limited (ASX: WLE) has announced an increase in its fully franked full year dividend to 9.4 cents per share for the financial year ended 30 June 2025. This includes a fully franked final dividend of 4.7 cents per share. Based on the 14 August 2025 share price of $1.325, the dividend represents a fully franked yield of 7.1% and a grossed-up yield of 10.1% including franking credits.

Since listing in May 2016, the company has paid shareholders 58.05 cents per share in fully franked dividends, or 82.9 cents when including franking credits. The company’s profit reserve at 30 June 2025 stood at 24.7 cents per share, providing 2.6 years of dividend coverage before the payment of the final dividend.

For FY2025, WAM Leaders reported an operating profit before tax of $79.0 million, up from $20.2 million in FY2024, and an operating profit after tax of $64.0 million, up from $22.3 million. The company’s investment portfolio returned 5.9% for the year, compared with a 13.8% gain for the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index.

Lead Portfolio Manager Matthew Haupt said that many of the market dynamics that impacted performance during FY2025 were now turning positive. In July 2025, the portfolio returned 4.0% compared with the index’s 2.4%. The investment approach for the year ahead will focus on quality, earnings resilience, and growth, with potential upside seen in the resources sector.

Chairman Geoff Wilson AO stated that while the portfolio underperformed the market over the year, the company remains confident in its long-term investment process and ability to deliver returns to shareholders.

The fully franked final dividend will be paid on 17 November 2025. Key dates include an ex-dividend date of 4 November, a record date of 5 November, and a last election date for the Dividend Reinvestment Plan of 7 November.

At 30 June 2025, the company’s largest sector allocations were financials (24.0%), materials (16.9%), and health care (9.9%). The top holdings included Rio Tinto, Westpac, CSL, Spark New Zealand, and National Australia Bank.

WAM Leaders is managed by Wilson Asset Management, which oversees $6.0 billion in funds across 11 investment products for more than 130,000 investors.