--Shoe Carnival board declares $1 special dividend
--RPM International moves quarterly dividend payment to Dec. 28
from January
--J.B. Hunt increases quarterly dividend 7.1% and moves payment
to Dec. 28 from February
More companies announced special dividends or accelerated
dividend payouts Friday, as firms look to get ahead of potentially
higher taxes next year amid heated "fiscal cliff" deliberations in
Washington.
In January, $500 billion in automatic tax increases and spending
cuts--dubbed the fiscal cliff--will begin if Congress and the White
House don't intervene. The increases include a higher tax rate on
dividends, and dozens of companies already have moved their
quarterly payouts to December instead of early 2013 to avoid that
potential, while others have approved one-time special dividend
payments for December.
Footwear retailer Shoe Carnival Inc. (SCVL) said its board
declared a $1 special dividend that will be paid on Dec. 28, along
with its regular five-cent quarterly dividend.
RPM International Inc. (RPM) changed the payment of its 22.5
cents quarterly cash dividend to Dec. 28, from January. The
chemicals company anticipates its next quarterly dividend will be
paid in April.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.'s (JBHT) board increased the
trucking company's quarterly dividend by 7.1% to 15 cents and
pulled the pay date forward to Dec. 28 from February. The board
doesn't expect to declare or pay a quarterly dividend in the first
quarter of 2013.
Jefferies Group Inc. (JEF) moved the payment of its 7.5 cents
first-quarter dividend to Dec. 31 for shareholders of record as of
Dec. 21. The investment-banking company agreed last month to merge
with Leucadia National Corp. (LUK) and said it expected to close
the deal during the first quarter.
Homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc. (DHI) accelerated the payment of
its 2013 dividends for stockholders of record on Dec. 17. The
company said it will pay a 15 cents dividend on Dec. 21 in lieu of
the quarterly dividends that would have otherwise been paid next
year.
Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) said its board raised
the real-estate investment trust's quarterly dividend 1% to 62
cents. The owner of health-care related facilities said it will
make the increased payment on Dec. 31, to shareholders of record
Dec. 17.
Ingles Markets Inc. (IMKTA) is accelerating the payment of its
quarterly dividends to Dec. 31 from January. The supermarket chain
will pay 16.5 cents a class A share and 15 cents a class B share to
shareholders of record on Dec. 21.
Automotive retailer Lithia Motors Inc. (LAD) said its board
authorized a 10-cent dividend payable Dec. 28. The payout is in
lieu of the quarterly dividend typically paid in March.
Evolving Systems Inc. (EVOL), a provider of software and
services to telecommunications operators, said it board declared a
15 cents special dividend payable Dec. 26 to stockholders of record
on Dec. 20.
Lakeland Financial Corp. (LKFN), the parent of Lake City Bank,
said it will pay its first-quarter dividend of 17 cents on Dec. 31,
to shareholders of record as of Dec. 18.
Community-bank operator Tower Financial Corp. (TOFC) declared a
special dividend of 50 cents, payable on Dec. 27 to shareholders of
record as of Dec. 20.
Write to Melodie Warner at melodie.warner@dowjones.com
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