Question

The Hastings Sugar Corporation has the following pattern of net income each year, and associated capital expenditure projects. The firm can earn a higher return on the projects than the stockholders could earn if the funds were paid out in the form of dividends.

Year   Net Income   Profitable Capital
Expenditure
1   $   17   million   $   8   million
2      20   million      11   million
3      18   million      7   million
4      14   million      7   million
5      22   million      9   million

The Hastings Corporation has 2 million shares outstanding. (The following questions are separate from each other).

a. If the marginal principle of retained earnings is applied, how much in total cash dividends will be paid over the five years? (Enter your answer in millions.)

Total cash dividends       million

b. If the firm simply uses a payout ratio of 20 percent of net income, how much in total cash dividends will be paid? (Enter your answer in millions and round your answer to 1 decimal place.)

Total cash dividends       million

c. If the firm pays a 20 percent stock dividend in years 2 through 5, and also pays a cash dividend of $2.40 per share for each of the five years, how much in total dividends will be paid?

Total cash dividends

d. Assume the payout ratio in each year is to be 30 percent of the net income and the firm will pay a 20 percent stock dividend in years 2 through 5, how much will dividends per share for each year be? (Assume the cash dividend is paid after the stock dividend.) (Round your answers to 2 decimal places.)
Year   Dividends per Share
1  
2  
3  
4  
5

Answer 1