Tax considerations for the $0.40âŻPATK quarterly dividend
Ordinaryâincome treatment â The $0.40 per share is a cash dividend on common stock, so the IRS (and most foreign tax authorities) treats it as qualified ordinary dividend income. For U.S. investors it is taxed at the qualifiedâdividend rate (0âŻ%â20âŻ% depending on your marginal tax bracket) rather than at the higher ordinaryâincome rates that apply to nonâqualified dividends. If you hold the shares in a nonâqualified account (e.g., a regular brokerage account), you must report the dividend on FormâŻ1040, ScheduleâŻB, and indicate that it is qualified.
Holdingâperiod requirement â To be eligible for the reduced qualifiedâdividend rate, you must have held the PATK shares for more than 60âŻdays during the 121âday period that begins 60âŻdays before the exâdividend date. If you buy the stock just to capture the dividend and sell before the 60âday holding window, the dividend will be taxed at your ordinary income rate.
State and foreign tax implications â Most states tax dividend income as ordinary income, so the same qualifiedâdividend rate applies on the state return where allowed. NonâU.S. investors should check local tax treaties; many jurisdictions treat U.S. cash dividends as ordinary income and may credit foreign taxes paid.
Taxâloss harvesting and portfolio rebalancing â If you have realized capital losses in the same tax year, you can offset up to $3,000 of dividend income (or $1,500 for married filing separately) against ordinary income. Conversely, if the dividend pushes you into a higher marginal bracket, consider harvesting additional losses or deferring other income to keep your effective tax rate in check.
Actionable trading insight
Because the dividend is modest and the qualifiedâdividend tax rate is generally low, the afterâtax yield remains attractive for incomeâfocused investors who can meet the 60âday holding requirement. However, speculative âdividendâcaptureâ trades that breach the holding period will erode the tax advantage and may trigger higher tax liabilities. Combine the dividend with PATâŻInc.âs recent fundamentalsâsteady earnings growth, a 5âyear dividendâpayout ratio around 45âŻ% and a priceâtoâearnings multiple near the sector medianâto confirm that the stockâs price support is solid. Technically, the shares have been holding above the 50âday moving average with a bullish MACD, suggesting limited downside risk. Recommendation: If you already own PATK, retain the position through the exâdividend date to capture the qualified dividend; if youâre a shortâterm trader, avoid buying solely for the dividend unless you can comfortably hold for â„60âŻdays and have sufficient taxâloss carryforwards to offset the ordinaryâincome portion.