Duke Corporation Reports the Following Components of Stockholders' Equity on December

Duke Corporation reports the following components of stockholders' equity on December 31,2010.
$\begin{array}{lr} \text {Common stock- \( \$ 25 \) par value, 100,000 shares authorized, 45,000 shares issued}\\ \text { and outstandino}&\$1,125,000\\ \text { Paid-in capital in excess of par value, common stock } & 60,000 \\ \text { Retained earnings } & 460,000 \\ \text { Total stockholders' equity } & \$ 1,645,000 \\\end{array}$
In year 2011, the following transactions affected its stockholders' equity accounts.
Jan. 1 Purchased 4,500 shares of its own stock at $\$ 27$ cash per share
Jan. 5 Directors declared a $\$ 3$ per share cash dividend payable on Feb. 28 to the Feb. stockholders of record.

Feb. 28 Paid the dividend declared on January 5

What is the amount of the dividend declared?

A) $177,000
B) $135,000
C) $121,500
D) $326,000
E) $338,500