Unclaimed Dividends at Listed Companies Jump 16% to ₹2,689 Crore in FY26: SEBI

The value of unclaimed dividends held by India's listed companies continued to rise during FY26, according to SEBI's Annual Report, as per The CNBC TV18 news report. 

The amount increased 15.7% year-on-year to ₹2,689 crore, compared with ₹2,324 crore in FY25. It had stood at ₹1,838 crore in FY24, reflecting a steady increase over the past two financial years. 

Unclaimed Dividend Amounts Continue to Grow 

The report noted that Indian companies generally offer lower dividend yields than several emerging markets, including Brazil, South Africa and Taiwan. 

Despite comparatively modest dividend payouts, the amount left unclaimed by shareholders has continued to increase, indicating that a larger pool of dividend payments remains uncollected each year. 

Mutual Fund Redemptions Remain Stable 

Unlike dividends, unclaimed mutual fund redemption amounts showed little change during FY26. 

The amount declined marginally by 0.5% to ₹1,122 crore from ₹1,128 crore in FY25, although it remained above the ₹1,024 crore reported in FY24. 

Transfer to IEPF 

Under the Companies Act, 2013, dividends that remain unclaimed for seven consecutive years must be transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF). Investors can subsequently recover these amounts by submitting claims to the IEPF Authority. 

Government data showed that companies transferred ₹1,135 crore of unclaimed dividends to the IEPF in FY25, following ₹2,523 crore in FY24. Between FY21 and FY25, cumulative transfers reached ₹5,061 crore. 

To help investors recover unpaid dividends and shares, SEBI and the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) launched the Niveshak Shivir initiative, supporting IEPF-5 claim filings, share dematerialisation, and KYC and nomination updates. 

Read More: NCC Share Price Surges After Q1 FY27 Earnings Results: Total Income Up 12.2% YoY! 

Conclusion 

SEBI's latest data shows unclaimed dividends continue to grow despite strong corporate payouts, with SEBI and IEPFA expanding recovery initiatives for investors. 

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