They are also to pay out some $31 billion in dividends.

This industry pays out close to 65 percent of its earnings in dividends.

Most investors don't seem to be very interested in dividends just now.

Consider two hypothetical companies, each of which paid $1 a share in dividends last year.

They would just have less money to hand out in bonuses and dividends.

The company has paid out over $150,000,000 in dividends to its shareholders since going public.

The preferred issues now pay a total of $33.5 million in annual dividends.

Between 2007 and 2011, the company paid a total of C$10.358 billion in dividends.

As a result, more money was paid in dividends and the stock price rose.

It has also paid $34 billion in dividends since 2002.