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Special Dividend

A one-time cash distribution made outside the regular dividend cycle, typically funded by an asset sale, a one-time profit windfall, or a deliberate balance-sheet rebalancing. On the ex-dividend date the share price drops by approximately the dividend amount, so total economic value is unchanged at the instant of payment -- cash in pocket offsetting the price drop. Special dividends are often the cleanest way for a company to return surplus capital without committing to a higher regular dividend going forward.

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Related terms

Active Management · Active Share · AI Revenue · Anchoring Bias · Cost of Capital · Creation Unit

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