We examine the operating performance subsequent to dividend initiations by comparing firms with similar pre-event operating performance and growth opportunities. We find strong (weak) evidence of information content for dividends initiated by firms subsequent (prior) to the 2003 tax cut in the...

We examine the impact of special dividend announcements for UK firms over the period 1989-2007. We find that the market reacts positively to the announcement of these dividends, but that the reaction is stronger for firms with lower growth opportunities (low Tobin's q). For lower-growth firms,...