AT&T Sets More Details For WarnerMedia Spinoff Ahead Of Discovery Merger

deadline.com:

AT&T has firmed up more details of its spinoff of WarnerMedia, which is poised to combine with Discovery in a $43 billion merger.In an SEC filing, the telecom giant said it will issue its shareholders a special dividend on April 5.

For each share of AT&T common stock, holders will get 0.24 share in Warner Bros Discovery.AT&T’s stock will begin two-way trading on April 4, with shareholders getting the option to buy or sell shares of AT&T with or without the WBD shares.Shareholders will also get a quarterly dividend worth a shade less than 28 cents for each AT&T share, on top of the company’s annual dividend of $1.11 a share after the spinoff closes.

Because of its unusually high number of individual investors, rather than institutions, owning its stock, AT&T’s dividend is a closely watched obligation on its balance sheet.

The dividend is payable May 2 for shareholders of record as of April 14.The quarterly dividend is in line with the company’s previous guidance.Regulators and shareholders have signed off on the WarnerMedia-Discovery deal, leaving only final paperwork to be completed before the deal can take effect.