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Dividend Policy

14. Dividend Policy. Introduction. This chapter examines the factors that influence a company’s choice of dividend policy. Pros and cons of dividend policies Mechanics of dividend payments Stock dividends Share repurchase plans. Influencing the Value of the Firm. Investment Decisions

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Dividend Policy

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  1. 14 Dividend Policy

  2. Introduction • This chapter examines the factors that influence a company’s choice of dividend policy. • Pros and cons of dividend policies • Mechanics of dividend payments • Stock dividends • Share repurchase plans

  3. Influencing the Value of the Firm • Investment Decisions • Determine the level of future earnings and future potential dividends • Financing Decisions • Influence the cost of capital, which can determine the number of acceptable investment opportunities • Dividend Decisions • Influence the amount of equity capital in a firm’s capital structure and the cost of capital No taxes Transactions costs Issuance costs Fixed investment policy

  4. Variations in payout Legal constraints Restrictive covenants Tax considerations Liquidity and CF considerations Borrowing capacity Access to capital markets Earnings stability Growth prospects Inflation Shareholder preference Protection against dilution Determinants of Dividend Policy

  5. Irrelevance of Dividends • Assumptions • No taxes • No Transactions costs • No Issuance costs • Fixed investment policy • Wealth of a shareholder is not affected by dividend policy. • Dividend can have informational content. • Signaling effect • Clientele effect

  6. Relevance of Dividends • Assumptions • Relaxed assumptions and dividend policy becomes important. • Risk aversion • Transaction costs • Taxes

  7. Relevance of Dividends • Issuance (Flotation) costs • Agency costs • Empirical evidence is mixed. • Many practitioners believe that dividends are important. • Informational content • Expensive external equity

  8. Passive Residual Policy • Suggests that a firm should retain its earnings as long as it has investment opportunities that promise higher rates of return than the required rate. • Dividends can fluctuate significantly. • Depends on the firm’s investment opportunities • In practice, dividends can be smoothed. • Growth firms will have low-dividend payouts.

  9. Stable Dollar Dividend Policies • Reluctance to reduce dividends • Increases in dividends tend to lag earnings. • Desirability • Information content • Many shareholders depend on dividends. • Stability tends to reduce uncertainty. • Legally desirable • Legal list

  10. Other Dividend Payment Policies • Constant Payout Ratio • Pays a constant percent of earnings as dividends • Fluctuating dividends • Small Regular Dividends Plus Extras • Stockholders can depend on regular payout. • Accommodates changing earnings and investment requirements • Small Firms and Dividends • Tend to pay out a smaller percent of earnings • Rapid growth and limited access to capital markets

  11. Multinational Firms & Dividends • Primary means of transferring funds to parent company • Tax • Foreign Exchange • Political risk • Funds availability • Financing needs

  12. Declaration Date Board of directors announce a dividend. Record Date Shareholders of record will receive dividends. Ex-dividend Date 2 business days before record date Stock trades ex-dividends Payment Date 4 weeks after the record date Dividend checks mailed or direct deposited How are Dividends Paid ?

  13. Dividend Reinvestment Plan • Cash dividend reinvested automatically into additional shares • Purchase new or existing shares • Purchasing new shares raises new equity capital for the firm. • No brokerage commissions • Income tax liability

  14. Information on Dividend Reinvestment • Do a search on the Internet for dividend reinvestment. • Check out the various reinvestment plans. • Check out CSX Corporation’s dividend reinvestment plan: http://www.csx.com/docs/dividprx.html

  15. Stock Dividends: Payment of additional shares of C/S • Stock splits are similar to stock dividends. • Increases the number of shares outstanding • Accounting transaction • Transfer pre-dividend market value from retained earnings to other stockholders equity • Market price of C/S should decline in proportion to the number of new shares issued.

  16. Reasons for Declaring a Stock Dividend • Broaden the ownership of the firm’s shares • May result in an effective increase in cash dividends • Provided the level of cash dividends is not reduced • Reduction in share price may broaden the appeal of the stock to investors. • Resulting in a real increase in market value

  17. Stock Repurchase • By a tender offer in the open market or by negotiation with large holders • Treasury stock • Reduces the number of shares outstanding • Increases EPS • Usually announced

  18. Advantages Converts dividend income into capital gains Greater financial flexibility Timing Signal effect Disadvantages Company may overpay for the stock Trigger IRS scrutiny Tax avoidance Some current stockholders may be unaware Stock Repurchase

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