With $43 billion in the bank, Microsoft finally decided to pay its first ever stock dividend to its shareholders.
The payout will cost Microsoft about $855 million, of which Bill Gates, the largest shareholder with over 1 billion shares, will receive about $98 million.
The dividend, which comes as a sweeping tax plan by President Bush has focused attention on the subject, will be 16 cents a share before the split, or 8 cents a share on a post-split basis. It is to be paid March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 21.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134617101_microsoft170.html
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$98 million and probably tax free (if Bush's new tax plan passes) for BG, must be nice!
This scares other tech giants which don't usually give out any dividends. Shareholders may start to demand that other tech giants to give out dividneds or their board or CEO could be voted out by shareholders.
Pete
The payout will cost Microsoft about $855 million, of which Bill Gates, the largest shareholder with over 1 billion shares, will receive about $98 million.
The dividend, which comes as a sweeping tax plan by President Bush has focused attention on the subject, will be 16 cents a share before the split, or 8 cents a share on a post-split basis. It is to be paid March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 21.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134617101_microsoft170.html
_____________________
$98 million and probably tax free (if Bush's new tax plan passes) for BG, must be nice!
This scares other tech giants which don't usually give out any dividends. Shareholders may start to demand that other tech giants to give out dividneds or their board or CEO could be voted out by shareholders.
Pete
