Lilly declares first-quarter dividend for 2010

Lilly’s board of directors has declared a dividend of 49 cents (29 pence) per share on all outstanding common stock in the company.

In a statement, the international pharmaceutical organisation explained that the dividend will be payable on March 10th 2010.

The body noted that those eligible to receive the dividend will be shareholders of record at the end of business on February 12th 2010.

Lilly made its announcement regarding the first-quarter dividend after holding its annual meeting earlier in the month, in which it set its 2010 earnings per share guidance at $4.65 to $4.85.

Speaking at the time, John C Lechleiter, Lilly’s president and chief executive officer, said that over the course of 2009, the firm was able to exhibit “strong performance” in a challenging economic environment.

“Our strategy is to create value by accelerating the flow of innovative new medicines that provide improved outcomes for individual patients,” he added.