Disney Declares 71-Cent Cash Dividend

The Walt Disney Company has declared a cash dividend of $0.71 per share for the second half of fiscal 2015. The semi-annual payout will come Jan. 11, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 14, 2015.

“Thanks to our unparalleled portfolio of global brands and franchises and our unique ability to leverage creative success to drive value across the entire company, Fiscal 2015 marked Disney’s fifth straight year of record performance, and we are pleased to raise our dividend by 19 percent on an annualized basis,” said Robert A. Iger, chairman and chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company.

Disney began paying dividends on a twice-annual basis this past July, with a dividend of $0.66 per share. Going forward, Disney plans to review the dividend payment annually following the end of the fiscal year, and plan to continue paying dividends on a semi-annual basis.

Also Read: Disney's Slow Drip of Lost Cable Subscribers Could Soon Put Netflix on Top

The dividend declaration comes a week after the company dumped the lousy news of its across-the-board cable channel subscriber loss. ESPN in-particular has suffered a very public loss of customers, which is troubling considering its huge revenue per person.

Disney has scheduled its annual shareholders’ meeting for Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Chicago.