As I’ve already blogged about, many US companies are paying large special dividends to shareholders before December 31st. Either that or they’ve accelerated payouts planned for 2013, distributing them this year instead. The idea is to avoid the presumably much higher taxes the IRS will be levying on dividends next year. Some companies, like COST, appear even to be borrowing money to fund distributions.
The after-tax value of a dividend payment in 2012 to a taxable shareholder is likely greater than one made in 2013. In addition, it may be possible to manufacture a tax loss from the transaction as well–something that would add another bit of extra value. So it’s not surprising that stocks paying special dividends should be strong performers in advance of the day they start trading ex dividend.
I’ve been noticing another feature they seem to have, however, that I hadn’t anticipated. The stocks appear to be “carrying” a large part–and in one case I’m aware of, all–the special dividend. Here’s what I mean:
If a company’s stock is trading at $100 a share the day before it goes ex a $10/share dividend, then in a flat market you’d expect the stock to drop to $90 when ex trading commences the next day. But the current crop of special dividend stocks aren’t acting true to form. They’re trading at $93 or $95 or higher instead.
What could be causing this behavior?
I haven’t seen any cases where important news breaks on the day the stock goes ex. The only thing that I can see is that a buyer is no longer entitled to the special dividend.
I have only one explanation, and a semi-crazy one at that. I’ve concluded that buyers don’t know that the stock has paid out a large dividend. Buyers think instead that the stock has just made a large downward random fluctuation that makes it an attractive purchase.
I have two thoughts:
–what I’ve just described could never happen in an efficient market, which tells you something about how much attention Wall Street is currently paying to stocks; and
–I wish I’d thought of this possibility before companies started paying special dividends, rather than when they’re finishing up.