The part of the profits of a joint stock company which is distributed among shareholders at the decision of the General Meeting.
For shareholders, it constitutes their income from the holding of shares. The amount of the dividend is determined by the General Meeting and expressed as an amount per share on the face value of the share. The amount of dividend is determined as a pro rata share (the ratio of nominal value of shares to the shareholders aggregate par value of all shares; other rules may be for the preference shares) on that part of the net profit of the joint-stock company for the accounting period, which is approved by the General Meeting and within the law to be distributed.