A balloon note is the name given to a promissory note in which repayment involves a balloon payment. A balloon mortgage is a written instrument that exchanges real property as security for the repayment of a debt, the last installment of which is a balloon payment, frequently all the principal of the debt.
Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan. American Stock Transfer, Microsoft's transfer agent, administers a direct stock purchase plan and a dividend reinvestment program for the company. To find out more about these programs you may contact AST directly at (800) 285-7772, Option 1, between the hours of 5 A.M. and 5 P.M. Pacific Time, Monday through Fridays. Alternatively, you can the view program online by going to AST's Web site. Microsoft pays a quarterly dividend of $0.36 per share.
The stock traded at the new split price on February 18, 2003. This was Microsoft's ninth stock split going public March 13, 1986. For more information, read the press release: Microsoft Declares Annual Dividend and Announces Two-for-One Split on Common Stock. After this most recent split, one original share equals 288 shares. This chart summarizes Microsoft's nine common stock splits since the initial public offering on March 13, 1986: