Question

York's outstanding stock consists of 80,000 shares of noncumulative 7.5% preferred stock with a $5 par value and also 200,000 shares of common stock with a $1 par value. During its first four years of operation, the corporation declared and paid the following total cash dividends: 2015 total cash dividends $20,000 ; 2016 total cash dividends 28,000 ; 2017 total cash dividends 200,000 ; 2018 total cash dividends 350,000. Please explain how to journal this.

Answer 1

dividends paid during 2015:

preferred stock dividends = $20,000, dividend per preferred stock = $0.25

common stock dividends = $0, dividend per common stock = $0

dividends paid during 2016:

preferred stock dividends = $28,000, dividend per preferred stock = $0.35

common stock dividends = $0, dividend per common stock = $0

dividends paid during 2017:

preferred stock dividends = $30,000, dividend per preferred stock = $0.375

common stock dividends = $170,000, dividend per common stock = $0.85

dividends paid during 2018:

preferred stock dividends = $30,000, dividend per preferred stock = $0.375

common stock dividends = $320,000, dividend per common stock = $1.60

Since the preferred stocks are not cumulative, any preferred dividends that are not paid during a year will not be paid in future years.