What is a primary feature of companies regarding dividend payments?

The primary feature of companies regarding dividend payments is that they are paid after the company has deducted tax at a corporate rate. This means that before any dividends can be distributed to shareholders, the company is required to pay taxes on its profits. Once the taxes are accounted for, the remaining profits can be allocated as dividends to shareholders.

This approach reflects the process of redistributing profits to investors while ensuring that the company meets its tax obligations first. Dividends, therefore, represent a share of the company's profit after taxes, which is an important aspect of corporate finance and shareholder returns.

Other choices might suggest different facets of dividend payments, but they do not accurately capture this fundamental aspect about taxation. For example, while dividends are taxable to the shareholders upon receipt, that does not negate the fact that the company must first pay its corporate taxes before the dividends are distributed.