Randgold Resources declares its last dividend ahead of merger with Barrick

(Sharecast News) - Randgold Resources announced on Tuesday that, in anticipation of the completion of the all-share merger of Randgold and Barrick Gold Corporation via a scheme of arrangement, it has recommended an interim dividend payment of $2.69 per share.The FTSE 100 company said the interim dividend would be paid on 11 January to Randgold shareholders on the register as at the scheme record time, which was anticipated to be at 1800 GMT on 28 December."This will be the last dividend paid by Randgold," the board said in its statement.Additionally, in anticipation of the issuance of shares to award holders in connection with the vesting of awards under the Randgold share plans, the firm said it had made application to the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange for 763,832 ordinary shares to be admitted to the official list.Randgold said it would issue those allotted shares on 18 December.Following admission of the allotted shares, Randgold would have 95,246,378 ordinary shares of five US cents each, with voting rights, in issue, including the 60,722 shares which were previously held on trust but would now be used for the purposes of satisfying awards.