Microsoft boosts its dividend 25% in a bid to attract investors

MICROSOFT is trying to lift its stock price by boosting its dividend 25%, the largest increase since the world’s biggest software maker started the quarterly payments seven years ago.

The change will boost Microsoft’s dividend to 20 cents per share from 16 cents per share. That topped a 23%, or three cents per share, increase made on the dividend a year ago.

It is the sixth time Microsoft has raised its dividend since it introduced an eight cents-per share payment to shareholders in 2004.