The ex-dividend date (or "ex-date") is the ownership cutoff for a dividend: to receive the next payment you must own the shares before the ex-date. Buy on the ex-date or later and the seller keeps that dividend, not you.
A dividend involves four dates. The declaration date is when the company announces the payment. The ex-dividend date is the ownership cutoff — own the shares before it to be paid. The record date is when the company checks its books to confirm shareholders (in the US, typically the same day as or one business day after the ex-date). The payment date is when the cash actually reaches your account, often a few weeks later. The ex-date is the only one you have to act before.
A common beginner mistake is to buy the day before the ex-date to grab the dividend, then sell right after. It is not free money: on the ex-date the share price typically opens lower by roughly the dividend amount, because the company is about to pay out that cash. The dividend you collect is roughly offset by the price you give up — before even counting taxes and trading costs, which make the round trip a likely loss.
You will not receive the upcoming dividend — the seller does. To be paid, you must own the shares before the ex-date.
Usually yes. The price typically opens lower by roughly the dividend amount, so buying just to capture the dividend is not free money.
The ex-date is the ownership cutoff you must buy before; the record date is when the company checks its books to confirm shareholders. In the US they are typically the same day or one business day apart.
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Educational research only — not investment advice.