8:38 (Dow Jones) Apple (AAPL) finally returns some of its cash hoard to shareholders by declaring a long-awaited quarterly dividend of $2.65/share. That equates to a 1.8% yield, based on Friday's close, and is in-line with other major tech companies. The payout will also cost AAPL $9.9B/year. The maker of iPhones and iPads certainly can afford it as it probably has more than $100B in the bank at the moment; it had $97.6B at year-end. The dividend not only pleases long-time shareholders who wanted to get their hands on some of AAPL's money, but it also opens the company to a whole new set of investor--those that only buy dividend-paying stocks. Shares, halted premarket ahead of the news, last traded this morning at $599.32, up 2.4%. (george.stahl@dowjones.com) Call us at (212) 416-2354 or email kevin.kingsbury@dowjones.com
