How does a company pay a dividend?

Here’s how it works. A company earns profits. The company’s board of directors approve a plan to share those profits in the form of a dividend. A dividend is paid per share of stock. U.S. companies usually pay dividends quarterly, monthly or semiannually. The company announces when the dividend will be paid, the amount and the ex-dividend date.

What are dividends & how do they work?

Dividends are payments from corporate earnings to company shareholders, and they're one way to receive a return from owned shares. A simpler definition for dividends is that they’re a reward for investing your money with a company. How Do Dividends Work? Dividend payments typically take one of two forms:

What is a stock dividend?

A stock dividend is a dividend paid as shares of stock instead of cash. You can sell these dividend shares for an immediate payoff, or you can hold them. A stock dividend functions essentially like an automatic dividend reinvestment program (more on that below). When Are Dividends Paid?