Ex-dividend Date Explained
Have you ever bought a stock only to find out later that you were not entitled to the next cash or stock dividend paid by the company? Determine whether you should get cash and most stock dividends, by looking at two important dates. They are the "Record Date" or "Date of Record" and the "Ex-dividend date"
The Ex-dividend Date is a key date to remember for dividend paying stocks.
If you purchase stock prior to the Ex-dividend Date, and do not sell prior to the Ex-dividend date, you are a stockholder on the Record Date and YOU WILL receive the upcoming declared dividend payment.
It is important to know when you buy or sell stock; there is a three-day settlement (three stock trading days) on all buys and sell stock transaction orders.
The minimum holding requirement to be entitled to the upcoming stock dividend payment is to buy a stock three stock trading days prior to the Record Date, one day trading day prior to the Ex-dividend Date, and Selling on the Ex-dividend Date or after to receive the upcoming dividend.
You must own the stock one-day to be entitled to receive the upcoming declared stock dividend payment.
You must be a stockholder on the Record Date to receive the dividend payment.
When a company declares a stock dividend, it sets a Record Date. This is the date you must be a shareholder to receive the upcoming declared stock dividend payment. The Record Date determines the Ex-dividend Date which is set two stock market trading days prior to the Record Date.
If you purchase stock prior to the Ex-dividend date, and sell before the Ex-dividend Date, you WILL NOT be a stockholder on the Record Date and you WILL NOT receive the upcoming declared dividend payment.