Later this morning, Apple is holding its 42nd annual shareholder meeting at its new Apple Park facilities for the first time, offering some members of the public a glimpse inside its new headquarters. However, this year attending the meeting requires a pre-arranged registration; shareholders of record who simply show up have been put on notice that the event is already at capacity.
On Thursday, Apple paid its shareholders of record (as of November 13th) a quarterly dividend of $0.63 per share, totaling $3 billion in dividends on its outstanding shares for the quarter, on stock that has appreciated 46.5 percent so far in 2017.
On February 16, Apple will pay shareholders of record a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, but investors must own the company's stock before February 9 in order to qualify. Apple will pay out $3.1 billion in dividends on its outstanding shares for the quarter.
On August 11, Apple will pay shareholders of record a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, but investors must have had settled ownership of the company's stock on Monday August 8 in order to qualify. Apple will pay out $3.2 billion in dividends on its outstanding shares for the quarter.
On May 12, Apple will pay shareholders of record a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, but investors must have had settled ownership of the company's stock by Monday May 9 in order to qualify. Apple will pay out $2.9 billion in dividends on its outstanding shares for the quarter.
On November 12, Apple will pay shareholders of record a quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share, but investors must have settled ownership of the company's stock by Thursday November 5 in order to qualify.
Apple reported a spike in its capital return program, spending $17 billion in Q4, including $14 billion in open market stock buybacks in addition to $3 billion in dividend payments to shareholders.
Since Apple announced its industry-leading earnings for fiscal Q3 on July 21, the company's stock price collapsed by about a third, encouraging facile analysts to predict further losses. In reality, Apple shares are being bought up at a massive discount by the company itself, in a clear bet on future appreciation.
Flush with billions in cash it simply can't spend fast enough, Apple has begun the process of issuing its first quarterly dividend to shareholders in 17 years.
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Daniel Eran Dilger
