Limitations of Stock Dividend
Limitations of stock dividend to shareholders and to company are as follows:
1. To Shareholders: Stock dividend does not affect the wealth of shareholders and therefore it has no value for them. This is because the declaration of stock dividend is a method of capitalising the past earnings of the shareholders and is a formal way of recognising earnings which the shareholders already own. It merely divides the company’s ownership into a large number of share certificates. James Porterfield regards stock dividends as a division of corporate pie into a larger number of pieces. Stock dividend does not give any extra or special benefit to the shareholder. His proportionate ownership in the company does not change at all. Stock dividend creates a favourable psychological impact on the shareholders and is greeted by them on the ground that it gives an indication of the company’s growth.
2. To Company: Stock dividends are more costly to administer than cash dividend. It is disadvantageous if periodic small stock dividends are declared by the company as earnings. This result in the measured growth in earnings per share being less than the growth based on per share for small issues of stock dividends are not adjusted at all and only significant stock dividends are adjusted. Also, companies have to pay tax on distribution.
No comments:
Post a Comment