Annual Report 2019

182 CHINA MERCHANTS PORT HOLDINGS COMPANY LIMITED Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements For the year ended 31 December 2019 14. DIVIDENDS 2019 2018 HK$’million HK$’million Interim dividend, paid, of 22 HK cents (2018: 22 HK cents) per ordinary share 752 731 Final dividend, proposed, of 58 HK cents (2018: 73 HK cents) per ordinary share 2,000 2,431 2,752 3,162 Details of scrip dividends are set out in note 30. At a meeting held on 15 April 2020, the Board of Directors proposed a final dividend of 58 HK cents (2018: 73 HK cents) per ordinary share, which will be satisfied by allotment of new shares of the Company, credited as fully paid, by way of scrip dividend, with an alternative to shareholders to elect to receive such final dividend (or part thereof) in cash in lieu of such allotment. This proposed dividend is not reflected as a dividend payable in the consolidated financial statements. The amount of proposed final dividend for 2019 was based on 3,448,947,770 (2018: 3,329,849,550) shares in issue as at 15 April 2020. 15. EARNINGS PER SHARE The calculation of the basic earnings per share attributable to the equity holders of the Company is based on the following data: 2019 2018 Basic Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company (HK$ million) 8,362 7,245 Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 3,374,097,013 3,299,845,627 No diluted earnings per share for both 2019 and 2018 were presented as there were no potential ordinary shares in issue for both 2019 and 2018.