Benjamin Hornigold will pay shareholders a fully franked special dividend of 6.2 cents per share on 18 November, following litigation updates and executed deeds of settlement. The distribution is worth more than its headline cash amount to eligible Australian shareholders because it carries full franking credits.
- 6.2 cents per share special dividend, fully franked at a 25% corporate tax rate
- Shares trade ex-dividend on 29 October 2026
- Record date set for 30 October, with payment due on 18 November
- Declaration follows litigation updates and executed deeds of settlement
- Total dividend liability and settlement terms were not disclosed
6.2 Cent Special Dividend Declared
Benjamin Hornigold Ltd (ASX:BHD) has declared a fully franked special dividend of 6.2 cents per ordinary share, giving eligible shareholders a defined cash return after a period dominated by litigation. The company said the distribution follows litigation updates and the execution of deeds of settlement, but did not disclose the settlement terms or the dividend’s aggregate cost.
The dividend is fully franked at a 25% corporate tax rate, meaning the 6.2-cent cash payment comes with associated franking credits for shareholders who can use them. Benjamin Hornigold described it as a special distribution rather than a payment tied to a particular period of the financial year.
Litigation Resolution Sits Behind the Payment
The announcement lands after post-year-end litigation settlements, with the company’s FY2026 coverage reporting that two settlements worth $2.6 million had been received after year-end. Today’s filing does not state that those proceeds directly fund the dividend, nor does it quantify the financial effect of the deeds of settlement.
That distinction matters. The dividend is concrete, with a payment date and tax treatment, while the legal backdrop remains only lightly described in this announcement. The company also provides no indication that the special payment represents a recurring distribution policy.
Ex-Dividend Date Falls on 29 October
BHD shares will trade ex-dividend on 29 October 2026. Investors on the register at the 30 October record date will be eligible for payment on 18 November 2026. No shareholder, court, regulatory or other external approval is required before the distribution proceeds, according to the ASX filing.
The next useful disclosure will be less about the calendar than the balance sheet: the company has not stated the number of shares covered, the total cash commitment, or whether further legal costs or settlement obligations remain.
Bottom Line?
The payment is a tangible shareholder return, but the undisclosed dividend liability and settlement terms leave the financial after-effects of the litigation unresolved.
Questions in the middle?
- What is the total cash amount Benjamin Hornigold will distribute under the special dividend?
- What were the financial terms and remaining obligations under the executed deeds of settlement?
- Does the payment mark a one-off return of capital or precede further distributions?