Beating the Fiscal Cliff -- Costco: Special Dividend $7

Money On The Move: November - December, 2012
The ObamaCliff: Widening the Gap Between The Haves and the Have-Nots
This is almost becoming a Saturday Night Live parody

Colony Financial declares 2012 special dividend of $0.05 per share; changes record date for regular $0.35 dividend to Dec 27, 2012

W&T Offshore announces special cash dividend of $0.32 per share

W.R. Berkley declares special cash dividend of $1.00 per share, payable of Dec 31, 2012 to stockholders of record at the close of business on Dec 24, 2012

General Electric Board of Directors approves 12% increase in quarterly dividend; payable before the end of the year
 
MDU Resources accelerates payment of quarterly common stock dividend
 
Pulaski Financial accelerates timing of its regular quarterly dividend of $0.095 cents per share

Simulations Plus declares accelerated cash dividend of $0.14/share
 
Ryman Hospitality announces details of $6.84/share special dividend

Frequency Electronics declares special cash dividend of $0.20 per share, payable on Dec 31, 2012 to shareholders of record on Dec 24, 2012
 
Briggs & Stratton approves dividend payment date change for the dividend of $0.12/share to December 31, 2012 from January 2, 2013
 
Caterpillar maintains quarterly dividend rate and accelerates payment to December 31, 2012
 
Heartland Finl declares special cash dividend of $0.10 per share

Concurrent declares a special cash dividend of $0.50 per share of common stock

Sterling Financial announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the declaration of a special cash dividend of $0.35/common share; Board also has authorized the accelerated payment of the regular quarterly cash dividend

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock declares a special dividend of $0.25

Nutraceutical declares special dividend of $1.00 per share, payable Dec 28 to shareholders of record date Dec 21

Superior Ind to accelerate payment of 2013 cash dividends into 2012

Weyco Group, Inc. accelerates quarterly dividend

Keynote Systems declared an accelerated cash dividend of $0.06 per common share

Thor Industries announces $1.50 special dividend, accelerates payment of January dividend

Lazard declares special dividend of $0.20 per share and accelerates payment of quarterly dividend

ViewPoint Financial announces early declaration of quarterly cash dividend
 
Western Refining declares special dividend of $1.50 per share

 Dolby Labs announces one-time special dividend of $4.00 per share

CBOE Holdings announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $0.75 per share on its common stock

Holdings announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $0.75 per share on its common stock
 
Air Methods reports declaration of special cash dividend of $7.00 per share

Ikonics (thinly traded) declares one-time special cash dividend of $1.00 per share

John B. Sanfilippo & Son declares special cash dividend fo $1.00 per share

Shiloh Industries declares a special dividend of $0.25 per share

Worthington accelerates Q3 and Q4 cash dividend payments

CONSOL Energy accelerates declaration and payment of regular quarterly dividend

Perry Ellis announces a $1.00 per share special cash dividend

U.S. Silica declares special cash dividend of $0.50 per share

Fulton Fincl declares and accelerates payment of quarterly cash dividend

Limited announces $3 per share special dividend

Paychex accelerates dividend payments for two quarters

A. Schulman announces early payment of regular cash dividend

Janus Capital accelerates quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share

Texas Roadhouse announces special cash dividend of $0.10 per share

PETsMART declares quarterly cash dividend of $0.165 per share and accelerates dividend payable date to Dec 31, 2012

Cypress Sharpridge Investments declares Q4 2012 dividend of $0.40, special dividend of $0.52 per share

eMagin announces special dividend of $0.10 per share

Ennis accelerates payment of two quarters of dividends

RF Industries will accelerate a portion of anticipated 2013 dividend

Cardinal Financial increases and accelerates quarterly dividend 25%

Interactive Brokers declared special cash dividend of $1.00 per share

Core-Mark declares accelerated cash dividend of $0.19 per common share

TD Ameritrade declares one-time, special cash dividend of $0.50 per share; will be distributed on Dec. 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 21, 2012

Commercial Trust declared a fourth quarter 2012 quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per common share, down from $0.16 per common share

CapitalSource declares a special dividend of $0.50 per share in addition to regular fourth-quarter dividend

Hastings Entmt declared a special dividend of $0.35 per share. 


Rentech declares special cash dividend of $0.19 per share payable in 2012 and announces early redemption of convertible notes

The Washington Post joins the list. 

Hyster-Yale declares special dividend of $2.00 per share and authorization of $50 mln stock repurchase program: The dividends are payable on both the Class A and Class B Common Stock, and will be paid December 27, 2012 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012. 

InSteel Industries declares special cash dividend of $0.25 per share: The special dividend is payable on December 28, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 19, 2012.

Illinois Tool accelerates regular quarterly dividend payment date to Dec 31, 2012 from Jan 8, 2013: The record date has been changed to December 18, 2012 from December 31, 2012.

Phillips 66 announces 25% increase in quarterly dividend; approves additional $1 bln share repurchase: Co's Board of Directors has approved a 25% increase in the company's dividend, effective in the first quarter of 2013, representing an annual dividend of $1.25 per share of common stock. Phillips 66's board of directors has also approved an additional $1 billion share repurchase which augments the $1 billion share repurchase plan announced in the third quarter of 2012.

Syntel announces special $2.25 dividend, early payment of regular $0.06 dividend, and discontinuance of future regular dividends: Co announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of two dollars and twenty-five cents ($2.25) per share, on Syntel's common stock, payable on December 28, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 18, 2012.

Universal Health announced that its Board of Trustees voted to increase the quarterly dividend by $.005 and pay a dividend of $.62 per share on December 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 17, 2012.
 
Lithia Motors declares dividend of $0.10 for 4Q2012 in lieu of dividend typically declared and paid in March; co will pay the dividend Dec 28, 2012 to shareholders of record on Dec 14, 2012.
 
DR Horton declares dividend of $0.15 per share to accelerate payment of Calendar Year 2013 dividends: Co declared a cash dividend of $0.15 per share. This dividend is in lieu of and accelerates the payment of all quarterly dividends that the Company would have otherwise paid in calendar year 2013. The accelerated dividend is payable on December 21, 2012 to stockholders of record on December 17, 2012.

Jefferies Group accelerates declaration and payment of Q1 dividend of $0.075 per share, payable on Dec 31, 2012 to stockholders of record on Dec 21, 2012.

Evolving Systems declares special dividend of $0.15 per share: This one-time special dividend will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 20, 2012, with a payment date of December 26, 2012. 

Shoe Carnival declares special cash dividend of $1.00 per share: Co announced that its Board of Directors has approved the payment of a quarterly cash dividend and a special cash dividend. The quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share and the special cash dividend of $1.00 per share will be paid on December 28, 2012, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 17, 2012.

RPM Inc accelerates quarterly cash dividend of $0.225 per share to Dec 28, 2012, payable to stockholders of record as of Dec 17, 2012.

Safeway announced that its Board of Directors yesterday declared and approved an acceleration of its regular quarterly cash dividend: The cash dividend of $0.175 per share will be payable on December 31, 2012 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012.

MSC Industrial declares an accelerated quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share; dividend is payable on Dec 27, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec 17, 2012.

Coffee Holding accelerates and increases its quarterly dividend payment of $0.06 per share: Co announces that its board of directors approved an increase to its regularly scheduled quarterly dividend and an acceleration of such dividend payment. The quarterly dividend of $0.06 will be paid on December 28, 2012 to stockholders as of the close of business on December 17, 2012.

National Healthcare declares special cash dividend of $1.00 per share.
   
Northwest Bancshares accelerates dividend declaration: Co announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per share for the first quarter of 2013 and is accelerating its payment into the fourth quarter of 2012. The cash dividend is payable on December 24, 2012, to shareholders of record as of December 17, 2012.

T. Rowe Price declares a special cash dividend of $1.00 per share payable Dec 28, 2012 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on Dec 17, 2012.

National Fuel Gas declares quarterly dividend of $0.365 per share, accelerates payment date to Dec 28, 2012.  

Sotheby's increases quarterly dividend and accelerates payment of two quarters of dividends: Co has declared an accelerated first and second quarter of 2013 cash dividend totaling $0.20 per share of outstanding common stock. This $0.10 per share per quarter dividend reflects a 25% increase from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share. This accelerated dividend is intended by the Board to be in lieu of quarterly dividends Sotheby's would have otherwise announced in the first and second quarters of 2013, and that would have been paid in calendar year 2013. This accelerated dividend will be payable on, or before, December 31, 2012 to holders of record as of December 26, 2012.

Marcus declares $1.00 per share special cash dividend; accelerates next two quarterly cash dividend payments: Co announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $1.00 per common share and has accelerated the next two regular quarterly cash dividend payments totaling $0.17 per common share. The dividends are payable on Dec 28, 2012 to shareholders of record on Dec 17, 2012.

CB&I declares $0.05 interim common stock dividend: Co declared an interim dividend on common stock of $0.05 per share, payable December 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 21, 2012.

McGraw-Hill approves special dividend in the amount of $2.50 per share: Co approved a special dividend in the amount of $2.50 per share on the Corporation's common stock, payable on December 27, 2012 to shareholders of record on December 18, 2012. This special dividend payment supersedes the Company's previously announced plans to repurchase up to $200 million of stock during the remainder of the year.

American Financial Group, Inc. declares special dividend of $0.25: Co announced that it has declared a special, one-time cash dividend of $0.25 per share of American Financial Group Common Stock. The dividend is payable on December 24, 2012 to holders of record on December 17, 2012. 

HCA announces special dividend of $2.00 per share: Co announced that its Board of Directors has approved a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share to be paid to shareholders of record as of December 17, 2012 with a payment date of December 21, 2012. The dividend is expected to be funded through proceeds from the Company's recent offering of $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2021.

GlobalScape announces special cash dividend of $0.07 per common share: Co announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $0.07 per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on December 27, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 17, 2012.

Transport announces special dividend of $1.00 per share: Co announced its Board of Directors has approved a special one-time dividend of $1.00 per share. The dividend is payable on December 28, 2012 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012.

HEICO increases Special Dividend to $2.14 to $1.14 per share: Co announces that its Board increased the previously announced special and extraordinary $1.14 per share cash dividend on both its Class A Common Stock and its Common Stock by $1.00 per share so that the total special dividend will now be $2.14 per share on both classes of common stock.  The increased special and extraordinary $2.14 per share cash dividend will be paid together with the previously announced regular semi-annual $.06 per share cash dividend.  The dividends will be paid in one payment, totaling $2.20 per share, on or before Dec 31 to shareholders of record on Dec 17.

Intrepid Potash Inc. declares special dividend of $0.75 per share: The dividend is payable on December 27, 2012, to all stockholders of record at the close of business on December 17, 2012.

Texas Pacific Land Trust announces accelerated annual dividend of $0.25 to be paid on December 21, 2012.

Oil-Dri declares accelerated dividends: Co declared accelerated cash dividends of $0.36 per share of Common Stock and $0.27 per share of Class B Stock which reflect dividends for the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2013. The dividends declared today will be payable on December 28, 2012, to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 14, 2012.

Oracle Corp. will pay three of next year's quarterly dividends this year in an apparent attempt to avoid possible tax hikes for its investors. The software company said Monday that it will pay dividends for the second, third and fourth quarters of 2013, totaling 18 cents per share, on Dec. 21 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 14.

Sun Hydraulics Board approves year-end special dividend of $1.00 per share and declares regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share: Co announced that its Board of Directors has elected to authorize a special cash dividend in the amount of $1.00 per share, payable on December 28, 2012, to shareholders of record as of December 14, 2012.

National Penn announced that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of ten cents per common share for the first quarter of 2013 and is accelerating its payment into the fourth quarter of 2012: Co announced today that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of ten cents per common share for the first quarter of 2013 and is accelerating its payment into the fourth quarter of 2012. The cash dividend will be paid on December 28, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 13, 2012. 

TESSCO declares special one-time cash dividend of $0.75 per share: Co announces that its Board declared a special one-time cash dividend of $0.75 per share on its common stock payable on Dec 27, 2012 to shareholders of record on Dec 13.

DISH Network declares non-recurring dividend of $1.00 per share: The dividend will be payable in cash on Dec. 28, 2012, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 14, 2012. 

HCA announces intention to declare special cash dividend of $2.00 per share: The special dividend will be paid to stockholders and certain optionholders on or prior to Dec 31, 2012.

HFF Inc declares special cash dividend of $1.52 per common share, payable Dec 20, 2012 to shareholders of record on Dec 10.

Whole Foods announces special cash dividend of $2.00 per share payable December 21, 2012, to shareholders of record on the close of business on December 10, 2012.

Apple: $30/share?

Costco to pay special dividend of $7 to holders of record, link below, December 10, 2012. 

Updates

Update, general, LA Times, November 29, 2012. 

Later, 2:33 pm: Drudge is calling this segment: money on the move and starts with a story from CNBC.

Original Post

Link here.

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on what you read here. I don't invest in Costco; never have, never will.

Lots of talk recently of many companies to announce special dividends prior to December 31, 2012. The fiscal cliff. Lots of talk about Apple with special dividend.

This is going to be a wild, wild ride.

I assume there are two reasons for these special dividends.