In: Finance
Microsoft announced huge profits and its first-ever dividend, but its stock price dropped. Why?
| A. | 
 Investors value free cash flows and not dividends  | 
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| B. | 
 Paying a dividend increases Microsoft's cost of capital  | 
|
| C. | 
 The dividend was viewed as a negative signal about Microsoft's expected growth rate  | 
|
| D. | 
 None of the above. Investors were being totally irrational  | 
Option c is correct option.When dividends are paid out retention ratio decreases and hence growth also decreases.