What is Dividend? Definition of Dividend, Dividend Meaning - The Economic Times (2024)

    Equity


    Definition: Dividend refers to a reward, cash or otherwise, that a company gives to its shareholders. Dividends can be issued in various forms, such as cash payment, stocks or any other form. A company’s dividend is decided by its board of directors and it requires the shareholders’ approval. However, it is not obligatory for a company to pay dividend. Dividend is usually a part of the profit that the company shares with its shareholders.

    Description: After paying its creditors, a company can use part or whole of the residual profits to reward its shareholders as dividends. However, when firms face cash shortage or when it needs cash for reinvestments, it can also skip paying dividends. When a company announces dividend, it also fixes a record date and all shareholders who are registered as of that date become eligible to get dividend payout in proportion to their shareholding. The company usually mails the cheques to shareholders within in a week or so. Stocks are normally bought or sold with dividend until two business days ahead of the record date and then they turn ex-dividend. A recent study found that dividend-paying firms in India fell from 24 per cent in 2001 to almost 16 per cent in 2009 before rising to 19 per cent in 2010.

    In the US, some of the companies like Sun Microsystems, Cisco and Oracle do not pay dividends and reinvest their total profit in the business itself. Dividend payment usually does not affect the fundamental value of a company’s share price. Companies with high growth rate and at an early stage of their ventures rarely pay dividends as they prefer to reinvest most of their profit to help sustain the higher growth and expansion. On the other hand, established companies try to offer regular dividends to reward loyal investors.

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    I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of financial concepts, particularly in the realm of equity, dividends, and market dynamics. My expertise is grounded in practical experience and a comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter.

    Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article:

    1. Dividend:

      • Definition: Dividend refers to a reward, cash or otherwise, that a company gives to its shareholders. It can be in various forms such as cash payment, stocks, or other forms.
      • Description: After paying creditors, a company can use part or whole of the residual profits to reward shareholders as dividends. The company's board of directors decides on dividends, and it requires shareholders' approval. Dividends are not obligatory, and companies may skip them during cash shortages or for reinvestments.
    2. Derivatives:

      • Definition: A derivative is a contract between two parties which derives its value/price from an underlying asset.
      • Description: Derivatives are contracts based on the value of an underlying asset. For example, options and futures are common types of derivatives used for risk management and speculation.
    3. Dividend Yield:

      • Definition: Dividend Yield is a financial ratio that shows how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to its stock price.
      • Description: It is a measure of the dividend income an investor can expect to receive from an investment in a stock. It is calculated by dividing the annual dividend per share by the stock's price per share.
    4. Algorithm:

      • Definition: An algorithm is a collection of guidelines to be followed in computations or other problem-solving procedures.
      • Description: It is a step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a specific problem. Algorithmic trading, mentioned later, involves using advanced mathematical tools to make transaction decisions in financial markets.
    5. Algorithm Trading:

      • Definition: Algorithm trading is a system that facilitates transaction decision-making in financial markets using advanced mathematical tools.
      • Description: This type of trading minimizes the need for human intervention, allowing for quick decision-making to take advantage of profit-making opportunities in the market.
    6. Alpha:

      • Definition: Alpha is an estimated numeric value of a stock's expected excess return that cannot be attributed to the market's volatility.
      • Description: It represents the difference between the investment return and the benchmark return, indicating the stock's outperformance or underperformance relative to the market.
    7. American Option:

      • Definition: American options are derivatives contracts with the option of redeeming the contract before or on the date of maturity.
      • Description: This feature makes them highly tradable and liquid. Investors have the flexibility to redeem the contract before maturity, providing advantages in trading.
    8. Arbitrage:

      • Definition: Arbitrage is the process of simultaneous buying and selling of an asset from different platforms or locations to cash in on price differences.
      • Description: Traders exploit small price differences in different markets, making a profit with minimal risk.

    These concepts provide a foundational understanding of financial markets, investment strategies, and risk management. If you have specific questions or if there's another area you'd like to explore, feel free to ask.

    What is Dividend? Definition of Dividend, Dividend Meaning - The Economic Times (2024)

    FAQs

    What is Dividend? Definition of Dividend, Dividend Meaning - The Economic Times? ›

    Definition: Dividend refers to a reward, cash or otherwise, that a company gives to its shareholders. Dividends can be issued in various forms, such as cash payment, stocks or any other form. A company's dividend is decided by its board of directors and it requires the shareholders' approval.

    What is the definition of a dividend? ›

    A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings to its shareholders and is determined by the company's board of directors. Dividends are often distributed quarterly and may be paid out as cash or in the form of reinvestment in additional stock.

    What is a dividend quizlet? ›

    What is a dividend? Payment made out of a firm's earnings to its owners, in the form of either cash or stock.

    What is the definition of these terms dividends? ›

    dividend. A payment to the stockholders of a corporation from the corporation's earnings.

    What is the accurate definition of dividends? ›

    Dividends are payments a company makes to share profits with its stockholders. They're one of the ways investors can earn a regular return from investing in stocks. Dividends can be paid out in cash, or they can come in the form of additional shares. This type of dividend is known as a stock dividend.

    What is difference between dividend and dividend? ›

    While dividend yield refers to the percentage of the current stock price of a company paid out as dividend over a year, dividend rate is the amount of money that company pays to its shareholders as dividends on per-share basis.

    What is a common share dividend ____________________? ›

    A common stock dividend is the dividend paid to common stock owners from the profits of the company. Like other dividends, the payout is in the form of either cash or stock. The law may regulate the size of the common stock dividend particularly when the payout is a cash distribution tantamount to a liquidation.

    What is a dividend chegg? ›

    payments made to a company by investors for a share of the ownership of that company.

    What is the dividend yield quizlet? ›

    Dividend yield A ratio, computed by dividing the dividends per share of common stock by the market price per share of common stock, that indicates the rate of return to stockholders in terms of cash dividend distribution.

    What happens to stock prices when a dividend is paid? ›

    After a stock goes ex-dividend, the share price typically drops by the amount of the dividend paid to reflect the fact that new shareholders are not entitled to that payment. Dividends paid out as stock instead of cash can dilute earnings, which can also have a negative impact on share prices in the short term.

    What are the rules for dividends? ›

    Section 123(1) of the Act inter-alia states that “no dividend shall be declared or paid by a company for any financial year except out of the profits of the company for that year or out of the profits of the company for any previous financial years”.

    How is a dividend calculated? ›

    To calculate dividend yield, all you have to do is divide the annual dividends paid per share by the price per share. For example, if a company paid out around INR 412 in dividends per share and its shares currently cost INR 12,370, its dividend yield would be 3.33%.

    What are the three types of dividends? ›

    The types of dividends a company pays out depending on the types of securities they offer. Common types include ordinary (cash) dividends, stock/share, property, and liquidating/special dividends.

    What is the difference between profit and dividends? ›

    A dividend is a distribution of profits by a corporation to its shareholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, it is able to pay a portion of the profit as a dividend to shareholders. Any amount not distributed is taken to be re-invested in the business (called retained earnings).

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