Our dividend and distribution policy is to pay out substantially all net investment income and realized capital gains. The amount of net investment income and capital gains may vary significantly from year to year.
It has been our policy to make two payments to holders of Common Stock each year. A cash payment is generally made at mid-year, and a distribution consisting primarily of realized capital gains is generally paid at year-end. Stockholders are generally given the option of receiving the year-end distribution either in additional share of stock or in cash, at their election. We have paid dividends every year since 1955.
The chart below summarizes dividends and distributions for the last ten years.
|
Declaration
Date |
Record
Date |
Payment
Date |
Amount/
Share |
Share
Option |
Reinvestment
Price |
| |
2008
|
5/14
|
6/6
|
6/20
|
0.20
|
—
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2007
|
11/6
|
11/16
|
12/27
|
2.20
|
1 for 12
|
$26.40
|
|
5/16
|
6/8
|
6/22
|
0.20
|
|
—
|
| |
| 2006 |
5/16 |
6/6 |
6/23 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/7 |
11/17 |
12/27 |
2.02 |
1 for 12 |
$24.24 |
| |
| 2005 |
5/18 |
6/7 |
6/24 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/3 |
11/14 |
12/27 |
1.80 |
1 for 12.5 |
$22.50 |
| |
| 2004 |
5/19 |
6/8 |
6/25 |
0.15 |
|
— |
|
11/2 |
11/12 |
12/27 |
1.17 |
1 for 18 |
$21.06 |
| |
| 2003 |
5/12 |
5/30 |
6/20 |
0.12 |
|
— |
|
11/4 |
11/14 |
12/29 |
1.28 |
1 for 15 |
$19.20 |
| |
| 2002 |
5/15 |
5/31 |
6/21 |
0.10 |
|
— |
|
11/5 |
11/15 |
12/26 |
1.15 |
1 for 14 |
$16.10 |
| |
| 2001 |
5/17 |
6/1 |
6/22 |
0.35 |
|
— |
|
11/6 |
11/16 |
12/26 |
1.45 |
1 for 15 |
$21.75 |
| |
| 2000 |
5/17 |
6/2 |
6/23 |
0.50 |
|
— |
|
11/7 |
11/17 |
12/27 |
3.85 |
1 for 8 |
$30.80 |
| |
| 1999 |
5/19 |
5/28 |
6/15 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/3 |
11/12 |
12/22 |
2.40 |
1 for 10 |
$24.00 |
| |
| 1998 |
5/20 |
6/5 |
6/26 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/3 |
11/13 |
12/21 |
1.74 |
1 for 12.5 |
$21.75 |
| |
| 1997 |
5/14 |
6/6 |
6/27 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/3 |
11/12 |
12/19 |
2.22 |
1 for 13 |
$28.86 |
| |
| 1996 |
5/15 |
6/7 |
6/28 |
0.20 |
|
— |
|
11/7 |
11/15 |
12/27 |
1.45 |
1 for 16 |
$23.20 |
| |
| 1995 |
5/17 |
6/9 |
6/28 |
0.15 |
|
— |
|
11/6 |
11/17 |
12/27 |
1.78 |
1 for 11 |
$19.58 |
| |
| 1994 |
5/4 |
6/7 |
6/28 |
0.15 |
|
— |
|
11/7 |
11/18 |
12/28 |
1.46 |
1 for 10.5 |
$15.33 |
|
