What occurs to the book value of stock when dividends are paid?

When dividends are paid to shareholders, the book value of stock decreases. This is because paying dividends reduces the retained earnings section of shareholders' equity, which, in turn, affects the overall book value of the equity. Dividends are a distribution of profits to shareholders, so when a company pays out cash or stock as dividends, these funds are no longer retained in the company.

The retained earnings account, which is part of the equity section, reflects the cumulative earnings that are not distributed as dividends. When dividends are declared and paid, the retained earnings decrease by the total amount of dividends paid out. Since the book value of equity is overall impacted by changes in retained earnings, the act of paying dividends results in a lower book value for the remaining shares of stock.

From this understanding, the option indicating that the book value decreases aligns with the fundamental accounting principle that retained earnings are reduced by distributions made to shareholders.