Step 2 of 6 in A dividend strategyCourse outline →
Record date
The date on which the register of shareholders entitled to a dividend is fixed.
How to read the number
Shares must be bought earlier: with the settlement cycle, the last day to buy falls before the record date itself.
When the metric lies
Also known as: record date, ex-dividend date, cut-off date
Related terms
Next step in A dividend strategy · explainerHow to Receive a Dividend: Step by StepA dividend goes to whoever is recorded as the owner of the security in the registry system on the record date, not to the investor who held it longest or bought it earliest.Read next →
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