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 |
|
| 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.