as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
why would a company with a bad balance sheet be paying dividends?
user
while ford and the other auto makers have a bad few years, some companies want to have a cash dividend. it appeals to certain investors. others have tried to avoid dividends: microsoft didn't start until ~2003; apple only from mid 80's until mid 90's.; google never has had a cash dividend. the desire to keep the dividend, or even to increase it, make some companies continue the practice; even when it doesn't make complete sense. here is a list of stocks that have increased their dividend for the last 25+ years: http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/25-year-dividend-increasing-stocks.php some have had good years, others bad years, in the last 25+ years.
assistant