A. Cash Dividends—decision to pay these dividends rest with BOD and is based on evaluating the amounts of retained earning and cash as well as many other factors. | |
Cash Dividend Entries—reduce in equal amounts both cash and the retained earnings component of stockholders' equity. | |
a. At declaration—Debit Retained Earnings and credit Dividends Payable. b. At payment—Debit Dividends Payable and credit Cash. | |
B. Stock Dividends—Distribution of additional shares of stock to stockholders without receipt of any payment in return. They do not reduce assets or total equity, just the components of equity. | |
1. Reasons for a stock dividend a. To keep the market price of stock affordable. b. To provide evidence of management's confidence that the company is doing well. | |
2. Accounting for stock dividends—transfers a portion of equity from retained earnings to contributed capital (called capitalizing retained earnings) a. Small stock dividend is 25% or less of the issuing corporation's previously outstanding shares; the market value of the shares to be distributed is capitalized. b. Large stock dividend is more than 25% of the shares outstanding before the dividend; only the legally required minimum amount (par or stated value of shares) must be capitalized. | |
c. Declaration entry—Debit Retained Earnings (full capitalized amount), credit Common Stock Dividend Distributable (par value of dividend shares) and credit Paid-in Capital in Excess of Par (any capitalization above par). d. Payment entry—Debit Common Stock Dividend Distributable and credit Common Stock (to transfer par). |
C. Stock Splits | |

