[Am-info] Dividends

[John J. Urbaniak]

Eric Bennett wrote:

> "John J. Urbaniak" wrote:
>
> >Will they declare a pitifully small dividend and again risk the wrath of
> >those who keep looking at that $40 billion?
>
> This is a path a few other large companies have taken.  Intel pays a small
> (~ 0.5%) dividend and as I recall the only reason they do so is so that
> mutual funds that invest only in dividend-paying companies are able to buy
> their stock.  Wal-Mart is another large company paying a small dividend.

Yeah, but as I said, the pundits, analysts and politicians are *expecting*
Microsoft to pay a nice dividend.  I even heard Newt Gingrich predicting
such.  I don't think 0.5% will go over very well.

>
>
> But how much of Microsoft is still owned by Gates, Ballmer, and other top
> executives?  Probably more than is the case at a lot of other companies,
> which means there is always less need to worry about the wrath of other
> shareholders.

I suspect that Gates + Ballmer is less than 25% of the total.  They are by
far, the major holders.  I think Allen sold out or mostly out.  That leaves
75% to be wrath-ful.  Enough to be a source of concern, I think.

John

>
>
> --
> Eric Bennett ( ericb@pobox.com ; http://www.pobox.com/~ericb )
>
> We've been doubling sales every 18 months. However, when you start
> from zero, it takes a long while.
> - Stephen Yeo, marketing director for Wyse
> _______________________________________________
> Am-info mailing list
> Am-info@lists.essential.org
> http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/am-info