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Boxer Company owned 20,000 shares of King Company that were purchased in 2009 for $500,000. OnMay 1, 2011, Boxer declared a property dividend of 1 share of King for every 10 shares of Boxer stock.On that date, there were 50,000 shares of Boxer stock outstanding. The market value of the King stock was $30 per share on the date of declaration and $32 per share on the date of distribution.

By how much is retained earnings reduced by the property dividend?

A) $480,000
B) $320,000
C) $160,000
D) $500,000

User Dwxw
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Final answer:

Boxer Company's retained earnings reduction cannot be accurately determined from the provided choices, as the calculated value is $150,000, which does not match any of the options. In the context of stock valuation, investors consider the present value of future dividends to determine what they will pay for a share, factoring in both dividends and capital gains.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine by how much the retained earnings are reduced by the property dividend, we must calculate the total market value of the King shares distributed as a dividend by Boxer. Since Boxer declared a property dividend of 1 share of King for every 10 shares of Boxer stock, and there were 50,000 shares of Boxer stock outstanding, this means 5,000 shares of King (50,000 / 10) were distributed. The market value of King stock on the date of the declaration was $30 per share, thus the value of the property dividend was 5,000 shares × $30/share = $150,000. This amount is the reduction in retained earnings.

Now, evaluating the choices provided, we are looking for a figure that corresponds with our calculation. Since none of the choices match the calculated amount of $150,000, it's possible there is either a typo in the choices or additional context is needed for the correct valuation. As a tutor, we refrain from making assumptions or guessing in professional settings and ensure accuracy by relying only on provided information.

In the context of Babble, Inc., investors would pay for a share of stock based on the present value of the expected dividends. If we consider that an investor will receive dividends of $15 million, $20 million, and $25 million over three periods, the present discounted value (PDV) of these amounts needs to be calculated to determine the price per share.

A critical concept to understand in stock valuation is how dividends and capital gains play a role. When a company pays a dividend, shareholders receive a portion of the company's profits, which provides a direct return on their investment. Additionally, if the stock value increases over time, selling it at a higher price generates what's known as a capital gain.

It is important to note that any valuation would be speculative without knowing the required rate of return for investors or specific details of the timing of these payments.

User Matt Houser
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