Question

Preferred stock, 5%, $50 par value, 1,200 shares issued and outstanding with dividends in arrears for the three prior years. Common stock, $100 par value, 2,200 shares issued and outstanding. Total dividends declared and paid in current year were $52,000. How much of the current dividend will be paid to the preferred stockholders assuming the preferred stock is cumulative

Answer 1

$12,000

Step-by-step explanation:

total preferred dividends per year = 1,200 x $50 x 5% = $3,000

since they were not paid during the past three years, and they are cumulative, the total preferred dividends = $3,000 x 4 = $12,000

common stock dividends = total dividends - accumulated preferred dividends = $25,000 - $12,000 = $13,000

cumulative preferred stocks that are not paid in the past, must be paid before any common dividends are paid