Question

Rachel's Designs has 1,000 shares of 6%, $50 par value cumulative preferred stock issued at the beginning of 2019. All remaining shares are common stock. Due to cash flow difficulties, the company was not able to pay dividends in 2019 or 2020. The company plans to pay total dividends of $10,000 in 2021. How much of the $10,000 dividend will be paid to preferred stockholders and how much will be paid to common stockholders?

Answer 1

In 2021, preferred stockholders will be paid $9000 dividends while common stockholders will be paid $1000 in dividends.

Step-by-step explanation:

The preferred share are cumulative which means that they accrue dividends in case the company is unable to pay dividend in a certain year. This means that the company needs to pay the preferred dividend in future whenever it declares dividends if it has not paid the dividend on preferred share in the previous years.

The preferred dividends are paid prior to the common stockholders.

Thus, the dividend for 2019 and 2020 will be paid along with that of 2021 when the company pays dividends in 2021.

The preferred dividend per year is = 50 * 0.06 * 1000 = $3000

The accrued preferred dividends for 2019 and 2020 are = 3000 * 2 = 6000

Preferred dividend to be paid in 2021 = 6000 + 3000 = $9000

Common stock dividends to be paid in 2021 = 10000 - 9000 = $1000