German auto manufacturer Volkswagen is reported to be considering suspending its 2015 dividend payouts as the company continues to struggle to deal with the cost of its diesel emissions scandal.

German news agency DPA quoted an unnamed Volkswagen supervisory board member saying, "There is no sign that shareholders might even be able to hope for a single cent."

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Several analysts estimate that the diesel emission scandal will cost the company at least $34 billion in order to cover vehicle recalls, international fines and legal action costs. Volkswagen estimates that at least 11 million car models sold in several international markets were fitted with software designed to cheat official pollution tests.

Volkswagen said that no final decision has been reached yet regarding its dividend payout plans. On the other hand, the company is expected to release the details of its business status at a conference scheduled for April 28.

Over the past few years, Volkswagen had been generous to its shareholders. In fact, just in 2015, the company paid out $5.4 per ordinary share and $5.5 per preference share.

Should Volkswagen fail to pay dividend to its shareholders, the German state of Lower Saxony and the Porsche-Piech families will most likely be the biggest losers. According to Auto News, the Porsche-Peich family owns 52.2 percent of Volkswagen's ordinary stocks via the Prosche Automobil Holding. On the other hand, the Lower Saxony state owns 20 percent.

Volkswagen has had to postpone both its annual shareholder meeting as well as its annual news conference as the company continues to cope up with the resulting fallout of the diesel emissions scandal.

\Volkswagen was recently sued by the consumer watchdog Federal Trade Commissions. Volkswagen is being accused of deliberately deceiving customers by selling cars based on false claims that they were environmentally safe.

TagsVolks, volkswagen, Volkswagen scandal, diesel scandal, VW, VW diesel scandal, Volkswagen cheating scandal