Why has the ANZ (ASX:ANZ) share price dropped 2% today?

ANZ shares are tanking today. Here's why

| More on:

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a shaky start to the trading week so far this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down by 0.16% at 7,445 points. But one ASX 200 share is seemingly faring far worse so far today. That would be the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price.

ANZ shares are currently down by a nasty 2.22% on Friday's closing share price at $28.16 a share today. In stark contrast, the other big four ASX banks are all in the green today with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) even hitting a new all-time high this morning. So what on earth is going so wrong for ANZ shares today?

Well, fortunately for shareholders, it's nothing to worry about. ANZ shares have today just traded ex-dividend for the bank's upcoming final dividend payment for FY21.

A man sitting at his dining table looks at his laptop and ponders the CSL balance sheet and the value of CSL shares today

Image source: Getty Images

ASX bank drops after going ex-dividend

When an ASX share declares a dividend, it must also pick an ex-dividend date for its payout. This date represents the cutoff for new shareholders to receive the said dividend. If an investor brought ANZ shares last week, they are entitled to the bank's upcoming dividend. But for anyone picking up ANZ shares from today onwards, they will miss out.

That's why we usually see the dividend paying company's share price fall in value by a similar amount to this upcoming dividend – it represents the value of the dividend leaving the share price.

So, for ANZ, the bank will be paying out a final dividend of 72 cents per share, fully franked, on 16 December. That payout is a touch higher than the interim dividend of 70 cents that ANZ doled out back in July. But it's a lot higher (more than double) last year's final dividend of 35 cents per share.

At Friday's closing share price, these two dividends gave ANZ shares a yield of 4.94%. After today's big drop, ANZ now has a trailing yield of 5.04%.

ANZ share price snapshot

ANZ shares have given investors a solid performance in recent months. This bank is up a healthy 24% year to date  as well as up 44% over the past 12 months. However, over the past 5 years, ANZ is actually down by an anaemic 0.35% on today's pricing.

At $28.17 a share, ANZ has a market capitalisation of $79.54 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.7.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on Bank Shares

A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.
Bank Shares

Here's why this top broker is tipping 27% upside for ANZ shares

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse has weighed heavily on ANZ's shares and could have created a buying opportunity.

Read more »

A man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and reads about the ANZ share price
Bank Shares

Is the Westpac share price a buy below $22?

Westpac’s net interest margins could benefit from any further rate hikes by the RBA.

Read more »

Person with thumbs down and a red sad face poster covering the face.
Bank Shares

Why did the Bank of Queensland share price just hit a multi-year low?

Bank of Queensland shares just went backwards by nearly two years.

Read more »

A man sits uncomfortably at his laptop computer in an outdoor location at a table with trees in the background as he clutches the back of his neck with a wincing look on his face.
Bank Shares

ASX 200 bank shares punished again on US bank fallout

Investors in ASX 200 bank shares are jittery in the wake of SVB’s financial implosion last week.

Read more »

Confident male executive dressed in a dark blue suit leans against a doorway with his arms crossed in the corporate office
Bank Shares

ASX 200 bank shares: Are they better prepared than Silicon Valley Bank?

How ready are our banks for a real life stress test?

Read more »

three reasons to buy asx shares represented by man in red jumper holding up three fingers
Bank Shares

3 reasons the 8% NAB dividend yield looks safe to me

The bank could keep paying a very good dividend.

Read more »

a small girl empties a piggy bank of coins onto a table while her mother looks on in the background.
Bank Shares

Here's how much I'd need to invest in Westpac shares to generate a $150 monthly income

Here's how much income you can get from Westpac shares right now.

Read more »

a woman holds her hands to her temples as she sits in front of a computer screen with a concerned look on her face.
Bank Shares

Why are ASX 200 bank shares like CBA being annihilated today?

It has not been a great day to be invested in the banking sector.

Read more »