Leggett shareholders reject sexual discrimination proposal

Shareholders of Carthage-based Fortune 500 company Leggett & Platt rejected a minority shareholder proposal to put sexual orientation into the company's non-discrimination policy. Company officials had opposed the proposal. The news was good on the financial front:

The company also announced a second-quarter dividend of 18 cents per share, a 5.9 percent increase over the first quarter’s dividend of 17 cents. The increase marked 36 years of annual dividend increases. The dividend will be paid July 13 to shareholders of record on June 15.