Question

Oregano Inc. was formed on July 1, 2014. It was authorized to issue an unlimited number of common shares and 100,000 shares of cumulative and non-participating preferred shares carrying a $2 dividend. The company has a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year. The following information relates to the company's shareholders' equity account.

Common Shares
Before the 2016-17 fiscal year, the company had 110,000 outstanding common shares issued as follows:
1. 95,000 shares issued for cash on July 1, 2014, at $31 per share
2. 5,000 shares exchanged on July 24, 2014, for a plot of land that cost the seller $70,000 in 2004 and had an estimated fair value of $220,000 on July 24, 2014
3. 10,000 shares issued on March 1, 2015; the shares had been subscribed for $42 per share on October 31, 2014

Oct. 1, 2016

Subscriptions were received for 10,000 shares at $46 per share. Cash of $92,000 was received in full payment for 2,000 shares and share certificates were issued. The remaining subscription for 8,000 shares was to be paid in full by September 30, 2017, and the certificates would then be issued on that date.

Nov. 30, 2016

The company purchased 2,000 of its own common shares on the open market at $39 per share. These shares were restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares.

Dec. 15, 2016

The company declared a 5% stock dividend for shareholders of record on January 15, 2017, to be issued on January 31, 2017. The company was having a liquidity problem and could not afford a cash dividend at the time. The company's common shares were selling at $52 per share on December 15, 2016.

June 20, 2017
The company sold 500 of its own common shares for $21,000.

Preferred Shares

"The company issued 50,000 preferred shares at $44 per share on July 1, 2014.

Cash Dividends
The company has followed a schedule of declaring cash dividends each year in December and June and making the pay- ment to shareholders of record in the following month. The cash dividend declarations have been as follows since the company's first year and up until June 30, 2017:

Declaration Date Common Shares Preferred Shares

Dec. 15, 2015 $0.30 per share $3.00 per share*

June 6, 2016 $0.30 per share $1.00 per share

Dec. 15, 2016 - $1.00 per share

* Includes dividends arrears of $2 from 2014-2015 fiscal year

No cash dividends were declared during June 2017 due to the company's liquidity problems.

Retained Earnings
As at June 30, 2016, the company's Retained Earnings account had a balance of $690,000. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, the company reported net income of $40,000.
In

Instructions
(a) Prepare the shareholders' equity section of the company's statement of financial position, including appropriate notes, as at June 30, 2017, as it should appear in its annual report to the shareholders.
(b) Prepare the journal entries for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
(c) Discuss why the common shareholders might be willing to accept a stock dividend during the year rather than a cash dividend."

Answer 1