Phillips Rock and Mud is trying to determine the maximum amount of cash dividends it can pay this year. Assume its balance sheet is as follows:
Assets
Cash$ 386,000
Accounts receivable 836,000
Fixed assets 1,048,000
Total assets$2,270,000
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Accounts payable$ 459,000
Long-term payable371,000
Common stock (295,000 shares at $1 par)295,000
Retained earnings 1,145,000
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity$2,270,000
a. From a legal perspective, what is the maximum amount of dividends per share the firm could pay?
b. In terms of cash availability, what is the maximum amount of dividends per share the firm could pay?
c. Assume the firm earned an 18 percent return on stockholders’ equity last year. If the board wishes to pay out 50 percent of earnings in the form of dividends, how much will dividends per share be? (Round to two places to the right of the decimal point.)