Microsoft's investors will be $850 million richer today after the company issues its first dividend. The company will pay 8 cents a share to shareholders of record as of Feb. 21. The once-a-year payment is smaller than what many companies shell out, but it signifies a coming of age for Microsoft.
Until now, the company was unresponsive to growing demands from investors for a share of its $43 billion cash hoard, preferring instead to use the money for business development and to fend off legal claims.
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