It is not a dividend. It is a Distribution of capital. Essentially, returning surplus capital to stockholders. This makes a Distribution materially different from a dividend, and has profound implications in terms of tax treatment. Rather than relying on general theory of dividends from Wikipedia, one would hope that stockholders seek relevant professional advice from brokers and/or accountants and/or tax lawyers. A one time special Distribution, for instance, might not to be subject to a withholding tax, as a dividend might be. Moreover, a one-time Distribution should in no way be considered as anything other than an extraordinary event, which is why it is a special Distribution.
