Dillard's declares
$20 stock dividend
Little Rock-based Dillard's Inc., has declared a special dividend of $20 per share on its Class A and Class B common stock payable to shareholders of record as of Dec. 15.
"We would like to thank the Board for their decision to grant this $20.00 special dividend rewarding all shareholders for their confidence in Dillard's," Chief Executive Officer William Dillard II and President Alex Dillard said in a joint statement late Thursday.
The company also said its board declared a quarterly cash dividend of 25 cents per share on its Class A and Class B common stock payable Feb. 5 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 29.
Last week the department store operator reported a fiscal third-quarter profit of $155.3 million, or $9.49 per share, compared with $187.9 million, or $10.96 per share, a year ago.
Shares of Dillard's closed at $314.71, down $15.56 or nearly 5% in trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.
-- John Magsam
Canoo plans vehicle
delivery to Oklahoma
Electric-vehicle maker Canoo Inc. has not yet delivered its vehicles to the State of Oklahoma but plans are for the state's Office of Management and Enterprise Services to buy and take possession of three vehicles this year.
In response to emailed questions, a spokesman for Oklahoma's Office of Management and Enterprise Services said late Wednesday the state had not purchased or received any Canoo vehicles. Canoo did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.
Earlier this week in a news release, Canoo said it was "delivering its first Made in Oklahoma electric vehicles to the state of Oklahoma." Several media outlets, including Reuters and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, reported Canoo had delivered the vehicles.
On Tuesday, during a conference call to discuss its third quarter earnings, Canoo President and Chief Executive Officer Tony Aquila said Canoo "would be delivering our first batch of ... electric vehicles to the state of Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services under an agreement to sell up to 1,000 vehicles."
The company on Thursday said it signed a contract with Los Angeles-based Prime Time Shuttle for delivery of up to 550 electric vehicles.
-- John Magsam
Index ends at 851.75
after loss of 27.27
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, closed Thursday at 851.75 points, down 27.27.
"Equities closed moderately unchanged following a strong rally this week as the S&P 500 Index meets resistance above the 4500 level in advance of the monthly options expiration on Friday," said Leon Lants, managing director at Stephen's Inc.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.