"Dividends have disappeared this year. Will they ever come back?" This is not a problem for me. My AT&T dividend income is very safe.

Dividends have disappeared this year. Will they ever come back?

By Hanna Ziady, CNN Business

Updated Sunday, May 17, 2020

Dividend payouts could tumble by nearly $500 billion this year, a steeper drop than during the global financial crisis, as the worst global recession in decades is forcing companies to preserve cash.
The damage to dividends could endure well beyond the coronavirus pandemic, analysts say, as companies around the world facing a historic collapse in revenue consider permanently shoring up their cash buffers.

After hitting a record $1.43 trillion in 2019, global dividend payouts could plummet by as much as 35% this year, or some $497 billion, according to a report released Monday by asset manager Janus Henderson. That would outstrip the 30% drop observed during the 2008 global financial crisis, said investment director for global equity income, Jane Shoemake.

If dividends are cut by only those companies that have already announced withdrawals, or are very likely to, dividend payouts will decline 15% this year to $1.2 trillion, the report finds.

"Dividend suspensions are inevitable due to the sudden, unprecedented halt in economic activity in many countries," Ben Lofthouse, co-manager of global equity income at Janus Henderson said in a research note. "Some of the impact will spread into 2021, which is now likely to see lower payouts than we might have expected before the pandemic."