FORM 6

FORM 6-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a - 16 or 15d - 16 of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

For the month of  May 2009

 

HSBC Holdings plc

42nd Floor, 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ, England

 

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F).

Form 20-F   X              Form 40-F ......

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).

Yes.......          No    X

(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ..............).

 

5 May 2009


HSBC HOLDINGS PLC

FIRST INTERIM DIVIDEND FOR 2009 ON ORDINARY SHARES

In accordance with their intention to pay quarterly dividends on the ordinary shares in a pattern of three equal dividends with a variable fourth interim dividend, and as envisaged in the announcement of the 2008 Annual Results on 2 March 2009, the Directors of HSBC Holdings plc have declared a first interim dividend of US$0.08 per ordinary share in respect of the year ending 31 December 2009. The dividend will be payable on 8 July 2009 to holders of ordinary shares on the Register on 22 May 2009. The ordinary shares will be quoted ex-dividend in 
London
, Hong Kong, 
Paris
 and 
Bermuda
 on 20 May 2009. The American Depositary Shares will be quoted ex-dividend in 
New York
 on 20 May 2009.

Payment on Ordinary Shares
The first interim dividend will be payable on 8 July 2009 in cash in US dollars, or in sterling or Hong Kong dollars, or a combination of these currencies, at the forward exchange rates quoted by HSBC Bank plc in 
London
 at or about 11.00 am on 29 June 2009, and with a scrip dividend alternative. Particulars of these arrangements will be mailed to holders of ordinary shares on or about 3 June 2009, and elections will be required to be made by 24 June 2009.

Any person who has acquired ordinary shares registered on the Principal Register in the 
United Kingdom
 but who has not lodged the share transfer with the Principal Registrar should do so before 4.00pm on Friday 22 May 2009 in order to receive the dividend. 

The Hong Kong Overseas Branch Register of shareholders will be closed for one day, on Friday 22 May 2009. Any person who has acquired shares registered on that Branch Register but who has not lodged the share transfer with the Hong Kong Branch Registrar should do so before 4.00pm on Thursday 21 May 2009 in order to 
receive the dividend. Transfers may not be made to or from the Hong Kong Overseas Branch Register while that Branch Register is closed.

Any person who has acquired ordinary shares registered on the Bermuda Overseas Branch Register of shareholders but who has not lodged the share transfer with the Bermuda Branch Registrar should do so before 4.00pm on Friday 22 May 2009 in order to receive the dividend. 

Payment on Ordinary Shares held through Euroclear 
France
The dividend will be payable on ordinary shares held through Euroclear France, the settlement and central depositary system for Euronext Paris, on 8 July 2009 to the holders of record on 22 May 2009. The dividend will be payable in cash, in euros at the forward exchange rate quoted by HSBC France at or about 12 noon on 29 June 2009, or as a scrip dividend. Particulars of these arrangements will be announced through Euronext Paris on 18 May and 28 May 2009.

Payment on American Depositary Shares
The dividend will be payable on American Depositary Shares, each of which represents five ordinary shares, on 8 July 2009 to holders of record on 22 May 2009. The dividend of US$0.40 per American Depositary Share will be payable in cash in US dollars or as a scrip dividend of new American Depositary Shares. Particulars of these arrangements will be mailed to holders on or about 3 June 2009, and elections will be required to be made by 17 June 2009. Alternatively, the cash dividend may be invested in additional American Depositary Shares for participants in the dividend reinvestment plan operated by the depositary.

In order to be eligible to receive the dividend, American Depositary Shares must be registered on the books of the Depositary by the record date, 22 May 2009.

DIVIDEND ON 6.20% NON-CUMULATIVE US DOLLAR PREFERENCE SHARES, SERIES A ("SERIES A DOLLAR PREFERENCE SHARES")

In 2005 1,450,000 Series A Dollar Preference Shares were issued for a consideration of US$1,000 each and Series A American Depositary Shares, each of which 
represents one-fortieth of a Series A Dollar Preference Share, were listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

A non-cumulative fixed-rate dividend of 6.20 per cent per annum is payable quarterly on the Series A Dollar Preference Shares on 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December for the quarter then ended at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of HSBC Holdings plc. Accordingly, the Board of HSBC Holdings plc has declared a dividend for the quarter ending 15 June 2009. The dividend of US$0.3875 per Series A American Depositary Share will be payable on 15 June to the holders of record on 1 June 2009. 

Any person who has acquired Series A American Depositary Shares but who has not lodged the transfer documentation with the depositary should do so before 12 noon on Monday 1 June 2009 in order to receive the dividend.

INTERIM RESULTS

As indicated in the announcement of the 2008 Annual Results, the interim results for the six months to 30 June 2009 will be announced on Monday 3 August 2009. 

The Directors of HSBC Holdings plc are S K Green, M F Geoghegan, S A Catz
†
, V H C Cheng, M K T Cheung
†
, J D Coombe
†
, J L 
Durán
†
, R A Fairhead
†
, D J Flint, A A Flockhart, W K L Fung*, S T Gulliver, J W J Hughes-Hallett
†
, W S H Laidlaw
†
, J R Lomax
†, 
Sir Mark Moody-Stuart
†
, G Morgan
†
, N R N Murthy
†
, S M Robertson
† 
, J L Thornton
†
 and Sir Brian Williamson
†
.

* 
Non-executive Director
†  
Independent non-executive Director

Media enquires to Brendan McNamara on +44 (0) 20 7991 0655 or at 
brendan.mcnamara@hsbc.com

HSBC Holdings plc 
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in 
London
. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 9,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the 
Americas
, the Middle East and 
Africa
. With assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

 

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

HSBC Holdings plc

                                                                                                       By:       

                                                                                                                          Name: P A Stafford

                                                                                                                                            Title: Assistant Group Secretary

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Date: 5 May, 2009