This is Motley Fool Answers. I'm Alison Southwick and I'm joined as always by Robert ProCamp,

co-CEO of South Camp Industries. Bro, how are you doing today?

I'm doing fine. I'm looking forward to our IPO because I want to be an instant millionaire.

Yes, that's right. On this week's episode, we're going to learn all about IPOs, and we're so

excited because South Camp Industries is going public, thanks to the help of Abby Malin. All that and

more on this week's episode of Motley Phil Ancers. So, bro, what's up? Well, Allison, I got a few things

for you. Number one, an update on the downturn in dividends.

One of my favorite Twitter accounts for sort of interesting market and economic stats is that of

Charlie Bellello, who is the founder and CEO of Compound Capital Advisors.

Every week, he tweets out his five chart Friday, and one from this past week had some

pretty good info on the current status of dividends, which I know are important to a lot of people,

a lot of investors, especially people who want to live off their dividends. So, according to Charlie

and his charts, dividend info for the third quarter is in, and the cuts continue. Overall,

the SEP 500 showed a dividend decline of 5.6% for the third quarter is in, and the cuts continue. Overall, the S&P 500 showed a dividend

decline of 5.6% versus the third quarter of last year. And from their all-time high in the first

quarter of this year, S&P 500 dividends are down 9%. How does that compare to the last three recessions

we saw? Well, here the peak to trough declines and dividends.

So 90-91 recession, dividends declined 13%, 2001 recession, 15%.

The Great Recession of 2007, 2009, down 30%.

So being down 9% is not so bad.

Of course, we're not through it yet. But still, it's pretty

amazing that we can go through what we have. And most companies are still able to pay their

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