2) What are dividend payments?

A) payments made to a company by investors for a share of the ownership of that company

B) incremental increases in the value of the stock held by an investor due to rises in share price

C) the difference between the original cost price of a share and the price an investor receives when that share is sold

D) a part share of the profits or earnings of a company paid to each shareholder on the basis of the number of shares they hold

E) periodic payments to the bondholders