Dividends in Arrears on Cumulative Preferred Stock

Don't worry; if you are a preferred shareholder and dividends are halted, or in arrears, you should be able to recoup your loss. Find out How.

Barry D. Moore CFTe

March 11, 2021

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One of the most significant advantages of preferred stock is that you are at the top of the list when it comes to dividend payments.

This is a big deal if you are an income investor.

Investing Insights & Research from Liberated Stock Trader — Dividends in Arrears on Cumulative Preferred Stock

The Advantages of Preferred Stock vs. Common Stock

In the seniority of investors, the Preferred Stock Holder is higher than the Common Stock Holder.
You should get a higher fixed income from dividends in preferred stock than those with common stock or even bonds. Great for the income investor.
The price of preferred shares is typically lower than that of common shares.
You will get less stock price fluctuation than with common shares, representing a more stable investment.
You are the priority for Dividend Payments.

The Disadvantages of Preferred Stock vs. Common Stock

You have no voting rights.
If the stocks are called back, you may miss some of the premium value in the stock.
More like bonds than stocks.
Limited Stock Price Appreciation. Typically a preferred stock may fluctuate 10% up or down around the principle price; this is positive and negative. Positive for predictability, negative for price appreciation profits.

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Preferred Stocks Mean Preferred Dividend Payments

The essential advantage here is that you will be paid before the mass of common shareholders are paid their dividends. This means you are higher in the pecking order.

For most Preferred Stock as part of the conditions, they are nominated as cumulative preferred stock.

What Happens When the Dividend is in Arrears on Cumulative Preferred Stock?

If you own cumulative preferred stock and the dividend is in arrears, this will not affect you. The key advantage of cumulative preferred stock is that the years in which the dividend is not paid will accumulate and will be paid to you at a later date.

Example: Dividend in Arrears on Cumulative Preferred Stock

Let’s take the following example. A utility company, “FreshWater Corp” has been paying dividends solidly for the last five years, but this most recent year has seen a downturn in profits, to the point where FreshWater cannot pay a dividend.

For the next two years, the company works to turn around its business, and in the 4th year, it moves into a healthy profit.

FreshWater Co. then decides to reissue the dividend for shareholders at a 5% Yield. Common Shareholders would receive 5%, but the preferred shareholders, who typically would receive an annual yield of 6%, would have to be paid 24% before a single cent was paid to the common shareholders.

This is because FreshWater Co. was in arrears on its payments to the preferred cumulative shareholders.

This means the missed dividends to the Preferred Shareholders would accumulate over-time (in this case, four years) and have to be paid before anyone else.

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