--Companies moving dividend payments into 2012 from 2013 to
avoid potential tax increases
--Many firms also approving special dividends
--Landstar System authorizes bulk payment of quarterly dividends
for 2013, 2014
(Adds McGraw-Hill, HCA Holdings and other companies starting in
paragraph 12)
By Ben Fox Rubin and Nathalie Tadena
More companies have unveiled a special dividend or accelerated
dividend payout, as they seek to avoid 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. Dozens of companies already have moved
their quarterly dividend payouts to December instead of early 2013
to avoid possible higher taxes, while others have approved one-time
special dividend payments for December.
On Thursday, Sirius XM Radio Inc. (SIRI) declared a special
dividend of five cents a share, payable Dec. 28. The cost is
expected to be about $325 million.
The satellite-radio operator also approved a stock buyback
program of $2 billion. The company's market value is about $14.42
billion, according to FactSet.
Transportation services firm Landstar System Inc. (LSTR) said it
plans to pay out 50 cents a share around Dec. 27, in lieu of
quarterly payments for 2013 and 2014. The company's regular
quarterly dividend has been six cents a share. Landstar said it
intends to re-evaluate its dividend policy in the fourth quarter of
2014.
Heico Corp. (HEI, HEIA), an aircraft parts and repair company,
boosted its previously unveiled special dividend by $1, to $2.14 a
share--now costing the company about $114 million. The payment has
been scheduled around Dec. 31.
National Healthcare Corp. (NHC) declared a special dividend of
$1 a share, payable Dec. 21. The payout should cost the company
about $16.6 million.
Money manager T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW) unveiled a special
dividend of $1 a share, payable on Dec. 28, with the payout costing
the company about $260 million.
United-Guardian Inc. (UG), a maker of pharmaceuticals and
cosmetics, approved a special dividend of 50 cents a share and a
semiannual dividend of 44 cents a share, both payable on Dec. 21.
The special dividend will cost the company about $2.4 million.
Auction house Sotheby's (BID) said it would pay out both its
first- and second-quarter dividends around Dec. 31, and raised the
payouts to 10 cents per quarter from eight cents.
Marcus Corp. (MCS) approved a special dividend of $1 a share and
accelerated its next two quarterly dividend payments. The dividends
are payable on Dec. 28, and the special dividend will cost the
movie theater and hotel owner about $29 million.
McGraw-Hill Cos.'s (MHP) board approved a special dividend of
$2.50 a share, to be paid Dec. 27. The special dividend, which will
cost the company about $694 million, supersedes its previously
disclosed plans to repurchase up to $200 million of stock during
the remainder of the year.
HCA Holdings Inc. (HCA), the largest private-sector hospital
operator in the U.S., said it will pay a special dividend of $2 a
share on Dec. 21. The move will cost the company, which expects to
fund the payout through proceeds from its recent debt offering,
about $883 million.
Tree.com Inc. (TREE), the parent of LendingTree LLC, said its
board has approved a special dividend of $1 a share, which will be
paid on Dec. 26 and cost about $11.5 million. The company also said
it expects to meet or exceed the upper end of its most recent
fourth-quarter earnings guidance.
Medical products company Abaxis Inc. (ABAX) unveiled a special
dividend of $1 a share, which will be payable on Dec. 28. Abaxis
said the payout is expected to total about $22 million.
Hospital management company Universal Health Services Inc. (UHS)
said it will pay a special dividend of 40 cents a share on Dec.
28.
P.A.M. Transportation Services Inc.'s(PTSI) board approved a
special one-time dividend of $1 a share, to be paid on Dec. 28.
About $8.7 million will be paid on the transportation company's
shares outstanding as a result of the special dividend.
Software provider GlobalSCAPE Inc. (GSB) will pay a special
dividend of seven cents a share on Dec. 27. The move will cost the
company about $1.3 million.
Optical Cable Corp. (OCC), a manufacturer of fiber optic cables,
increased its quarterly dividend 33% to two cents a share, which
will be paid on Dec. 21. The company is accelerating the payment of
its first quarterly dividend for fiscal 2013, which would normally
be paid in February.
American Financial Group Inc. (AFC) declared a one-time dividend
of 25 cents a share, to be paid on Dec. 24. It will cost the
insurance holding company about $23 million.
Coffee Holding Co. (JVA) doubled the price of its quarterly
dividend to six cents a share and scheduled its payment date for
Dec. 28, instead of January. The increase should cost the company
an additional $200,000.
Chip maker Linear Technology Corp. (LLTC) raised its quarterly
dividend by a penny to 26 cents a share. The company is
accelerating the payment of the current quarter's dividend to Dec.
28 from its historical February timeframe.
Medical technology company Medtronic Inc. (MDT) is accelerating
the payment of its quarterly dividend to Dec. 28 from January.
Cohu Inc. (COHU), a manufacturer of semiconductor test handling
systems, is moving up the payment of its quarterly dividend to Dec.
28 from Jan. 2.
Simmons First National Corp. (SFNC) said it is accelerating its
dividend payment to Dec. 31 from Jan. 2.
Marketing company Harte-Hanks Inc. (HHS) moved its quarterly
dividend payment to Dec. 28, instead of its ordinary schedule of
making the payment early next year.
Supermarket operator Safeway Inc. (SWY) moved its quarterly
dividend payment to Dec. 31, from its typical date in January.
UniFirst Corp. (UNF), a uniform-rental company, scheduled its
quarterly dividend to Dec. 27, instead of Jan. 7.
MSC Industrial Direct Co. (MSM), an industrial and maintenance
products distributor, scheduled its quarterly dividend payment for
Dec. 27, instead of January.
Toy-maker Hasbro Inc. (HAS) moved its quarterly dividend payment
to Dec. 28, instead of mid-February.
Banking company Northwest Bancshares Inc. (NWBI) set its
quarterly dividend date for Dec. 24, instead of February.
And energy company National Fuel Gas Co. (NFG) moved its
quarterly dividend to Dec. 28, instead of early 2013.
Write to Ben Fox Rubin at ben.rubin@dowjones.com and Nathalie
Tadena at nathalie.tadena@dowjones.com
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