Shares and dividend payments, 2004, preliminary figures

About 97 per cent of the dividends received by households came from non-listed stocks. Norwegian corporations received 47 billion in dividends, while the general government collected 12 billion in dividends from Norwegian limited companies.

Highest dividend from oil and gas extraction

Limited companies in oil and gas extraction and real estate and business activities paid dividends of 37 and 34 billion respectively, representing the largest payouts in 2004. More than 44 per cent of the dividends from the oil and gas extraction industry were distributed to foreign shareholders. In comparison, the general government received 18 per cent of the dividends from this industry.

Households or private shareholders received 24 billion, or 72 per cent of the dividends from real estate and business activities.

Share capital

Norwegian corporations owned 62 per cent of the nominal share capital in Norwegian limited companies. Norwegian households and foreign shareholders owned about 13 per cent each, while the general government owned less than 10 per cent of Norwegian limited companies.

With an aggregated share capital of 93 billion, the electricity, gas and water supply industry had the highest aggregated share capital in 2004. Norwegian companies owned almost 86 per cent of the share capital in this industry while the general government owned about 13 per cent.

Another industry with a significant aggregated share capital was real estate and business activities.

Norwegian companies and households owned the majority of the share capital in this industry, holding 53 and 36 per cent respectively. Despite the fact that the households owned merely 36 per cent of the real estate and business activities they received most of the dividend payout.

About the statistics

The statistics are based on data from the Directorate of Taxes' Register of Shareholder as of 31.12.2004 and includes Norwegian limited and public limited companies applicable to the RISK-regulation used in the taxation of shareholders' profit and loss from selling shares. The statistics include a total of 137 000 limited companies. The statistics include only limited companies that have submitted the Shareholder Register form. According to the Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises there were about 157 000 active limited companies per 31.12.2004.

Tables:

• Table 1 Nominal share capital, by the shareholder's sector and the limited company's marketplace. 2004. NOK million
• Table 2 Received dividend, by the shareholder's sector and the limited company's marketplace. 2004. NOK million
• Table 3 Nominal share capital, by the limited company's main industry and the shareholder's sector. 2004. NOK million
• Table 4 Received dividend, by the limited company's main industry and the shareholder's sector. 2004. NOK million