Summary
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (often referred to as DuPont) has filed an amended annual report for the period ending December 30, 2007. The filing provides details regarding its common stock trading on the NYSE under the symbol 'DD', with a significant number of record holders. A key aspect for investors is the company's long-standing commitment to paying quarterly dividends, a practice dating back to the fourth quarter of 1904, which continued through 2007 with quarterly payments for both common and preferred stock. The report also includes stock performance data comparing DuPont's cumulative five-year total return against the S&P 500 and a self-constructed peer group. While the filing does not report any share repurchases in the final quarter of 2007, it highlights the company's consistent dividend policy and its stock performance relative to broader market indices and industry peers. The stock performance graph indicates that DuPont's cumulative total return from December 31, 2002, to December 31, 2007, was 122%, lagging behind the S&P 500 (183%) and significantly behind the peer group (209%). This underperformance relative to benchmarks is a crucial point for investor consideration, alongside the company's robust dividend history.
Key Highlights
- 1DuPont's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol 'DD'.
- 2The company has a long history of paying quarterly dividends, continuously since the fourth quarter of 1904, demonstrating a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
- 3In 2007, quarterly dividends of $0.37 per share were paid in the first three quarters, increasing to $0.41 per share in the fourth quarter.
- 4There were no repurchases of the company's common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2007.
- 5Over the five-year period from December 31, 2002, to December 31, 2007, DuPont's cumulative total return was 122%.
- 6During the same five-year period, the S&P 500 had a cumulative total return of 183%, and the self-constructed peer group achieved 209%.
- 7The filing includes certifications from the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer as required by SEC rules.