More on Microsoft’s er, generosity

“Microsoft will pay investors a special dividend of $3 a share; double its regular annual dividend to 32 cents a share; and buy back up to $30 billion of its own stock. It’s an extraordinary disbursement, and one that will go a long way toward silencing critics who’ve decried the company for hoarding roughly $1 billion in extra cash each month instead of distributing it to shareholders. “We are very happy to be in this position, to return almost $75 billion of capital to our shareholders,” [Steve] Ballmer [Mircosoft’s CEO] said in a conference call with analysts and reporters. “We are also pleased to be able to say we have put many of our legal issues in the rear view mirror, so to speak, and this gives us the opportunity to move forward with our cash plan.” Of course, Ballmer had other reasons to be pleased as well. He, along with co-founder and co-billionaire Bill Gates, will be among the biggest beneficiaries of the massive dividend payment. Ballmer, who owns 410.9 million shares, will pocket $1.23 billion from the special dividend and roughly $131.5 million from the annual dividend. Gates, who plans to donate the proceeds from his dividends to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will collect more than $3 billion.” [From Good Morning, Silicon Valley]