Question

Colliers, Inc., has 100,000 shares of cumulative preferred stock outstanding. The preferred stock pays dividends in the amount of $2 per share, but because of cash flow problems, the company did not pay any dividends last year. The board of directors plans to pay dividends in the amount of $600,000 this year. Required: What amount will go to preferred stockholders? How much will be available for common stock dividends?

Answer 1

Answer:

Preference dividend = $2 x 100,000 shares x 2 years

Preference dividend = $400,000

The dividend paid to common stockholders = $600,000 - $400,000

                                                                         = $200,000

Explanation:

Dividends paid on preference shares are cumulative in nature because preference shares are fixed income securities. The dividends not paid last year would be paid this year. This is the rationale behind the multiplication of preference dividend by 2 years.

The dividend paid to common stockholders is the difference between the total dividend and dividend paid to preferred stockholders.