Reprivatization: Uniper is wooing investors with higher dividends

Dusseldorf. The nationalized energy company Uniper is promoting the planned reprivatization with a higher dividend.

The group wants to propose a dividend of 77 cents per share for 2026 to the 2027 general meeting, the largest German gas company announced on Friday.

That is an increase of seven percent compared to the profit share of 72 cents per share paid for 2025.

The federal government is currently examining how to reduce its stake in Uniper - either through a sale or an IPO.

The company said the dividend total for 2026 would be 321 million euros, up from 300 million euros previously.

The group expects further profitable development, which should also be reflected in the dividend policy.

In the medium term, Uniper is aiming for annual dividend growth of seven percent and a base dividend of 300 million euros.

“With our strategy and planned investments, we are laying the foundation for the expected growth in earnings in the coming years,” said CEO Michael Lewis.

Shareholders should participate in this growth.

The dividend policy creates a clear, long-term perspective for this: “We strive for a continuously growing dividend,” emphasized Lewis.

The supervisory board recently appointed the manager as CEO for another five years until the end of October 2031.

Lewis has been head of the Düsseldorf group since 2023.

The federal government nationalized Uniper during the energy crisis in 2022, thereby protecting it from impending bankruptcy.

The EU Commission had stipulated that the federal government reduce its stake to a maximum of 25 percent plus one share by the end of 2028.

Lewis has always advocated that Uniper should remain independent.