Obama campaign raises $45M in February - USA TODAY

President Obama's campaign tweeted this morning that it raised a little more than $45 million last month -- better than January, but behind its record-setting pace of four years ago.

"In February, 348,000 people donated to raise over $45 million for this campaign," said a tweet from Obama's campaign. "Thank you."

In January, the campaign raised $29.1 million.

In February of 2008, however, Obama raised $56.8 million.

As Obama's campaign submitted its latest report to the the Federal Election Commission, it stressed the number of small donors.

Among the campaign's tweets:

-- Since April 2011, a total of 1.64 million people have pitched in to own a piece of this campaign.

-- Every buck helped. 97.7% of February's contributions were $250 or less, for an average donation of $59.04.

-- 105,000 of the people who donated in February were giving to support this organization for the first time.

The Republican Party noted that Obama's fundraising is lagging behind 2008, despite his incumbency, the addition of party campaign organizations and the fact that the president held "more fundraisers in the month of February than any month since announcing for re-election."

"After three years of policies that have left our country with record debt, high unemployment, and soaring gas prices and health care costs, it's clear President Obama is having a hard time convincing voters he deserves another term," said Republican Party spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski.

From Politico:

The (Obama) campaign's February numbers, which include several joint DNC accounts, outpace their January haul of $29.1 million -- and indicate that the campaign is may be entering a new phase of more aggressive fundraising.

Chicago is also boasting of the level of small donors: noting that 97.7 percent of last month's contributions were $250 or less, with an average donation of $59.04. In addition, 105,000 of their donors were first-time donors.

Still, Obama's fundraising pace is lagging far behind where it was in 2008 -- especially given that he was bound by far more stringent campaign maximums during the primary process. In February 2008, Obama took in $56.78 million alone -- without being able to capitalize on joint DNC fundraising.

And small donors are not where the cash is for the campaign. Breaking down Obama's fundraising numbers, big donors giving the maximum $35,800 are generally where the bulk of Obama's campaign cash comes from. But the success of the Dinner with Barack contest -- where donors are automatically entered to win a sit-down with the president -- has bolstered the overall number of small donations. ...

View the original article here

Obama campaign raises $45M in February - USA TODAY

President Obama's campaign tweeted this morning that it raised a little more than $45 million last month -- better than January, but but behind its record-setting pace of four years ago.

"In February, 348,000 people donated to raise over $45 million for this campaign," said a tweet from Obama's campaign. "Thank you."

In January, the campaign raised $29.1 million.

In February of 2008, however,Obama raised $56.8 million.

As they submitted their latest report to the the Federal Election Commission, Obama's campaign stressed their number of small donors.

Among the campaign's tweets:

-- Since April 2011, a total of 1.64 million people have pitched in to own a piece of this campaign.

-- Every five bucks helped. 97.7% of February's contributions were $250 or less, for an average donation of $59.04.

-- 105,000 of the people who donated in February were giving to support this organization for the very first time.

The Republican Party noted that Obama's fundraising is lagging behind 2008, despite his incumbency, the addition of party campaign organizations and the fact that the president held "more fundraisers in the month of February than any month since announcing for re-election."

"After three years of policies that have left our country with record debt, high unemployment, and soaring gas prices and healthcare costs, it's clear President Obama is having a hard time convincing voters he deserves another term," said party spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski.

From Politico:

The (Obama) campaign's February numbers, which include several joint DNC accounts, outpace their January haul of $29.1 million -- and indicate that the campaign is may be entering a new phase of more aggressive fundraising.

Chicago is also boasting of the level of small donors: noting that 97.7 percent of last month's contributions were $250 or less, with an average donation of $59.04. In addition, 105,000 of their donors were first-time donors.

Still, Obama's fundraising pace is lagging far behind where it was in 2008 -- especially given that he was bound by far more stringent campaign maximums during the primary process. In February 2008, Obama took in $56.78 million alone -- without being able to capitalize on joint DNC fundraising.

And small donors are not where the cash is for the campaign. Breaking down Obama's fundraising numbers, big donors giving the maximum $35,800 are generally where the bulk of Obama's campaign cash comes from. But the success of the Dinner with Barack contest -- where donors are automatically entered to win a sit-down with the president -- has bolstered the overall number of small donations. ...

View the original article here

Obama campaign raises $45M in February - USA TODAY

President Obama's campaign tweeted this morning that it raised a little more than $45 million last month -- better than January, but but behind its record-setting pace of four years ago.

"In February, 348,000 people donated to raise over $45 million for this campaign," said a tweet from Obama's campaign. "Thank you."

In January, the campaign raised $29.1 million.

In February of 2008, however,Obama raised $56.8 million.

As they submitted their latest report to the the Federal Election Commission, Obama's campaign stressed their number of small donors.

Among the campaign's tweets:

-- Since April 2011, a total of 1.64 million people have pitched in to own a piece of this campaign.

-- Every five bucks helped. 97.7% of February's contributions were $250 or less, for an average donation of $59.04.

-- 105,000 of the people who donated in February were giving to support this organization for the very first time.

The Republican Party noted that Obama's fundraising is lagging behind 2008, despite his incumbency, the addition of party campaign organizations and the fact that the president held "more fundraisers in the month of February than any month since announcing for re-election."

"After three years of policies that have left our country with record debt, high unemployment, and soaring gas prices and healthcare costs, it's clear President Obama is having a hard time convincing voters he deserves another term," said party spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski.

From Politico:

The (Obama) campaign's February numbers, which include several joint DNC accounts, outpace their January haul of $29.1 million -- and indicate that the campaign is may be entering a new phase of more aggressive fundraising.

Chicago is also boasting of the level of small donors: noting that 97.7 percent of last month's contributions were $250 or less, with an average donation of $59.04. In addition, 105,000 of their donors were first-time donors.

Still, Obama's fundraising pace is lagging far behind where it was in 2008 -- especially given that he was bound by far more stringent campaign maximums during the primary process. In February 2008, Obama took in $56.78 million alone -- without being able to capitalize on joint DNC fundraising.

And small donors are not where the cash is for the campaign. Breaking down Obama's fundraising numbers, big donors giving the maximum $35,800 are generally where the bulk of Obama's campaign cash comes from. But the success of the Dinner with Barack contest -- where donors are automatically entered to win a sit-down with the president -- has bolstered the overall number of small donations. ...

View the original article here

Obama campaign raises $45M in February - USA TODAY

President Obama's campaign tweeted this morning that it raised a little more than $45 million last month -- better than January, but but behind its record-setting pace of four years ago.

"In February, 348,000 people donated to raise over $45 million for this campaign," said a tweet from Obama's campaign. "Thank you."

In January, the campaign raised $29.1 million.

In February of 2008, however,Obama raised $56.8 million.

As they submitted their latest report to the the Federal Election Commission, Obama's campaign stressed their number of small donors.

Among the campaign's tweets:

-- Since April 2011, a total of 1.64 million people have pitched in to own a piece of this campaign.

-- Every five bucks helped. 97.7% of February's contributions were $250 or less, for an average donation of $59.04.

-- 105,000 of the people who donated in February were giving to support this organization for the very first time.

The Republican Party noted that Obama's fundraising is lagging behind 2008, despite his incumbency, the addition of party campaign organizations and the fact that the president held "more fundraisers in the month of February than any month since announcing for re-election."

"After three years of policies that have left our country with record debt, high unemployment, and soaring gas prices and healthcare costs, it's clear President Obama is having a hard time convincing voters he deserves another term," said party spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski.

From Politico:

The (Obama) campaign's February numbers, which include several joint DNC accounts, outpace their January haul of $29.1 million -- and indicate that the campaign is may be entering a new phase of more aggressive fundraising.

Chicago is also boasting of the level of small donors: noting that 97.7 percent of last month's contributions were $250 or less, with an average donation of $59.04. In addition, 105,000 of their donors were first-time donors.

Still, Obama's fundraising pace is lagging far behind where it was in 2008 -- especially given that he was bound by far more stringent campaign maximums during the primary process. In February 2008, Obama took in $56.78 million alone -- without being able to capitalize on joint DNC fundraising.

And small donors are not where the cash is for the campaign. Breaking down Obama's fundraising numbers, big donors giving the maximum $35,800 are generally where the bulk of Obama's campaign cash comes from. But the success of the Dinner with Barack contest -- where donors are automatically entered to win a sit-down with the president -- has bolstered the overall number of small donations. ...

View the original article here

Apple to pay $2.65/share dividend, buy back $10B stock - USA TODAY

NEW YORK (AP) – Apple is finally putting its pile of cash to work, introducing a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share and starting a $10 billion share buyback program.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Apple (AAPL), the world's most valuable publicly traded company, says the dividend will start in its fiscal fourth quarter, which begins July 1. The buybacks by Apple, which has a market capitalization of $545 billion, will begin in its next fiscal year, which starts Sept. 30.

The dividend works out to $10.60 annually, or a 1.8% yield at the current stock price. That's below the yield of other big technology companies like Microsoft (MSFT), currently at 2.5%, and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), at 2%.

Apple is sitting on $97.6 billion in cash and securities. For years, it has resisted calls to reward shareholders with some of that money. Since the death of CEO Steve Jobs, management has signaled that it's been considering options for the money.

The dividend will cost Apple about $10 billion annually. That's less than the cash the company generates, so its cash levels will continue to grow, but at a slower rate.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer is discussing the decision on a conference call this morning.

Apple shares have risen 37% since research firm Oppenheimer said on Jan. 24 that Apple's board was in "active" discussions about the use of cash. In pre-market trading, the shares rose $4.96, or 1%, from Friday's close to $590.53. Just before the announcement, the shares were above $600.

The dividend opens up ownership of Apple shares to a wider range of funds. Many "value-oriented" funds are not allowed to buy stocks that don't pay dividends.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

View the original article here

Apple to pay $2.65/share dividend, buy back $10B stock - USA TODAY

NEW YORK (AP) – Apple is finally putting its pile of cash to work, introducing a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share and starting a $10 billion share buyback program.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Apple (AAPL), the world's most valuable publicly traded company, says the dividend will start in its fiscal fourth quarter, which begins July 1. The buybacks by Apple, which has a market capitalization of $545 billion, will begin in its next fiscal year, which starts Sept. 30.

The dividend works out to $10.60 annually, or a 1.8% yield at the current stock price. That's below the yield of other big technology companies like Microsoft (MSFT), currently at 2.5%, and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), at 2%.

Apple is sitting on $97.6 billion in cash and securities. For years, it has resisted calls to reward shareholders with some of that money. Since the death of CEO Steve Jobs, management has signaled that it's been considering options for the money.

The dividend will cost Apple about $10 billion annually. That's less than the cash the company generates, so its cash levels will continue to grow, but at a slower rate.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer is discussing the decision on a conference call this morning.

Apple shares have risen 37% since research firm Oppenheimer said on Jan. 24 that Apple's board was in "active" discussions about the use of cash. In pre-market trading, the shares rose $4.96, or 1%, from Friday's close to $590.53. Just before the announcement, the shares were above $600.

The dividend opens up ownership of Apple shares to a wider range of funds. Many "value-oriented" funds are not allowed to buy stocks that don't pay dividends.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

View the original article here

Apple to pay $2.65/share dividend, buy back $10B stock - USA TODAY

NEW YORK (AP) – Apple is finally putting its pile of cash to work, introducing a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share and starting a $10 billion share buyback program.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Getty Images file

Apple has a market capitalization of $545 billion and is the world's most valuable publicly traded company.

Apple (AAPL), the world's most valuable publicly traded company, says the dividend will start in its fiscal fourth quarter, which begins July 1. The buybacks by Apple, which has a market capitalization of $545 billion, will begin in its next fiscal year, which starts Sept. 30.

The dividend works out to $10.60 annually, or a 1.8% yield at the current stock price. That's below the yield of other big technology companies like Microsoft (MSFT), currently at 2.5%, and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), at 2%.

Apple is sitting on $97.6 billion in cash and securities. For years, it has resisted calls to reward shareholders with some of that money. Since the death of CEO Steve Jobs, management has signaled that it's been considering options for the money.

The dividend will cost Apple about $10 billion annually. That's less than the cash the company generates, so its cash levels will continue to grow, but at a slower rate.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer is discussing the decision on a conference call this morning.

Apple shares have risen 37% since research firm Oppenheimer said on Jan. 24 that Apple's board was in "active" discussions about the use of cash. In pre-market trading, the shares rose $4.96, or 1%, from Friday's close to $590.53. Just before the announcement, the shares were above $600.

The dividend opens up ownership of Apple shares to a wider range of funds. Many "value-oriented" funds are not allowed to buy stocks that don't pay dividends.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

View the original article here