dividends in arrears

dividends in arrears definition - business

dividends in arrears

Dividend payments on cumulative preferred stock that have been passed by a firm's directors. These dividends must be brought up to date before any payments are made to common stockholders. Any payments of dividends in arrears go to the current holders of the preferred stock regardless of who held the stock when the dividend was passed. Also called accumulated dividend.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Business Terms Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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