The correct answer is: Shareholders.
A dividend is a distribution of a portion of a company’s earnings, decided by its board of directors, to a class of its shareholders. Shareholders are the owners of a company, and they have the right to receive dividends. The dividend policy of a firm affects both the long-time financing and shareholders’ wealth.
A firm’s dividend policy is the decision of how much of its earnings to distribute to shareholders as dividends and how much to retain for reinvestment. The dividend policy can affect the firm’s cost of capital, its value, and its ability to raise capital.
A firm’s dividend policy can also affect the wealth of its shareholders. When a firm pays a dividend, it reduces its cash balance. This can make it more difficult for the firm to raise capital in the future. However, dividends can also increase the value of a firm’s stock. This is because dividends provide a return to shareholders, which can increase the demand for the stock.
The optimal dividend policy for a firm is the one that maximizes the value of the firm for its shareholders. This is a complex decision that depends on a number of factors, including the firm’s investment opportunities, its tax situation, and the preferences of its shareholders.
The other options are incorrect because they are not the owners of a company. Creditors are lenders to a company, and debtors are borrowers from a company.