Oracle accelerates payments of 3 quarters of dividends ahead of likely U.S. tax hikes

The Board of Directors of Oracle Corporation (ORCL), consistent with its frequent review of its dividend policy, has declared an accelerated second, third and fourth quarter cash dividend totaling $0.18 per share of outstanding common stock.

Oracle’s CEO and largest stockholder did not participate in the deliberation or the vote on this matter. This accelerated dividend is intended by the Board to be in lieu of quarterly dividends Oracle would have otherwise announced with its quarterly earnings results for the second, third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2013, and that would have been paid in calendar year 2013.

This accelerated dividend will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 14, 2012, with a payment date of December 21, 2012.

The next opportunity for the Board to consider and approve the declaration of a dividend will be when Oracle announces its earnings results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 which ends on August 31, 2013.

Source: Oracle Corp.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]

Related articles:
Analyst: Don’t expect special dividend from Apple Inc. ahead of Obama tax hikes – December 3, 2012
Apple special dividend: Why AAPL shareholders are owed $30 per share by Christmas – November 29, 2012
Apple to distribute special dividend ahead of fiscal cliff? – November 28, 2012

15 Comments

      1. I’d not be surprised to hear that you voted for Obama or support him from some non-U.S. location.

        I say that only because you seem to lack basic economic sense – in other words: The perfect Obama tool.

        As an AAPL shareholder, I OWN THE COMPANY (or a portion of it).

        My “job” is holding shares of publicly-traded companies, so I actually am asking “my employer.” ME.

        If, however, I was a working schlub, equating asking my employer for higher pay ahead of Obama tax increases with asking Apple for a special dividend on MY MONEY, would be totally nonsensical. Apples and oranges.

        Do not comment on that which you do not understand, which, since this is such a basic topic, is likely pretty much everything.

        1. So people who work are “schlubs” and should pay a much higher tax rate than someone living off dividends? Too bad for you. If you don’t like the new tax rates, then just quit investing and get a “Job” 🙂

        2. But you do need to consider some other factors. For instance, most of Apple’s cash and securities is overseas. It would have to be repatriated (with associated tax) before it could be used for a special dividend. Is that in the best interests of the shareholders? I am not so certain.

          BTW, even if you are independently wealthy, as you proclaim, you don’t have to be an a-hole. Courtesy doesn’t cost your anything.

        3. You’re a shareholder not an officer of the company. Presumably, you invested in the company because of its management and fundamentals. Now, it sounds like you’re getting greedy and want the company to behave only in your best interests and not the company’s best interest.
          You are having a disagreement with the management of apple and clearly, it is time for you to sell your shares and invest some place that agrees with your “pay me first” mentality.

    1. Doesn’t really matter. This is all short-term pain for long-term gain when it comes to the government.

      And even that isn’t true. The government is going to get a nice booster shot of income from higher cashout from dividends in 2013. Long-term, the higher taxes from dividends (for American stock holders) will result in a net positive.

      Sure, some are taking their money now to avoid higher taxes, but that is likely tax revenue that the government would not have seen for several years anyhow. In the end, the next dividend will get taxed at a higher rate anyhow.

    1. Apple would have to pay an unusually high tax to bring the funds back into the country, then pay it out to shareholders. If it was as simple and cheap as you imply, they would have done it already.

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