If you're investing in dividend stocks, it's important to understand how and when a dividend is paid. In most cases, stock dividends are paid four times per year, or quarterly. There are exceptions, as each company's board of directors determines when and if it will pay a dividend, but the vast majority of companies that pay a dividend do so quarterly.
In addition to thewhen, it's also important to knowhowyou'll get paid. There are also several important dates to know that determine if you are entitled to the dividend. Keep reading for a breakdown of this important information that every dividend investor needs to understand.
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How often are dividends paid on stocks?
How often are dividends paid on stocks?
The vast majority of U.S. companies that pay dividends issue the payout quarterly. There are some exceptions, including a handful of companies that pay dividends every month, most notablyRealty Income, which bills itself as "the monthly dividend company." Realty Income has paid a dividend every month for over 600 consecutive months, and is now a Dividend Aristocrat.
On rare occasions a company may issue what's known as a special dividend. Often this is the result of a large asset sale or some other event that results in a large nonrecurring profit, while other companies use a special dividend to return extra money to shareholders every few years. A notable example is Costco Wholesale(COST 0.81%), which has paid substantial special dividends three times over the past decade, in addition to its regular quarterly dividend:
There are three important dates to understand if you invest in any dividend stocks:
Theex-dividend dateis the first day a stock trades without the most recent dividend being factored into the share price. In other words, if you buy shares on or after this date, you will notget the next dividend the company is scheduled to pay.
Thepayment dateis the date a company will make the next dividend payment to shareholders. This may or may not be the date that the dividend arrives in your account; depending on the brokerage you use, there could be a delay of a day or more in getting your dividend payment. The payment date can range from just a few days to more than a month after the board of directors declares a dividend is coming.
Therecord dateis the date you must own shares on or before in order to be entitled to the dividend.
When do you have to buy a stock to get paid the next dividend?
When do you have to buy a stock to get paid the next dividend?
Here's an example of how this works in real time.Apple (AAPL 0.64%) declared a dividend -- that is, made a formal disclosure that the board of directors had approved a dividend -- of $0.82 per share on July 30, 2020. The payment date was Aug. 13, to shareholders of record on Aug. 10, meaning the ex-div date was Aug. 7 (the prior Friday, since Aug. 10 was a Monday).
Let's break that down: Apple paid a dividend of $0.82 per share on Aug. 13 to all shareholders of record as of Aug. 10. This is where the ex-div date comes in. In order to be entitled to the upcoming dividend you would need to have owned or bought Apple shares beforeAug. 7, the ex-div date for the upcoming dividend.
Here's a table of some popular dividend stocks to further illustrate these important dates:
Data source: Company filings.
Company
Dividend Amount
Dividend Frequency
Declared Date
Record Date
Ex-Dividend Date
Payment Date
Apple
$0.82
Quarterly
7/30/2020
8/10/2020
8/7/2020
8/13/2020
Coca-Cola(NYSE:KO)
$0.41
Quarterly
7/16/2020
9/15/2020
9/14/2020
10/1/2020
AT&T(NYSE:T)
$0.52
Quarterly
6/26/2020
7/10/2020
7/9/2020
8/3/2020
Realty Income(NYSE:O)
$0.2335
Monthly
8/18/2020
9/1/2020
8/31/2020
9/15/2020
To summarize: A company's board declares a dividend, to be paid on a certain date to shareholders of record as of a prior date. In order to be one of those shareholders of record, you need to buy or already own shares before the ex-div date, which is the business day before the record date.
How are dividends paid?
How are dividends paid?
In the vast majority of cases, dividends are paid in cash by the company to your brokerage, which puts the money in your account. Some companies offer direct stock investment plans, but with low-cost -- in many cases zero-commission -- trading available from most online brokers, there's minimal benefit to using this option these days.
As to thewhen, the dividends show up in your brokerage account on or within a few days of the payment date, depending on your broker. If you're counting on those dividends for income, it might take a few more days to transfer that cash out of your brokerage account and into your banking accounts, so factor the additional time in for budgeting purposes.
There are also some stocks that don't pay in cash, instead paying in more shares of a company's stock. This is rare, but it does happen, so make sure you verify whether you're getting a cash or stock dividend. Generally companies make it clear if the dividend is not being paid in cash.
Again, if you want cash -- either as dividend income or to invest in other stocks -- a stock dividend means it will take a little longer to get your hands on actual money. You'll have to sell the shares, then wait for the trade to settle -- several more business days -- before your broker will let you take the cash out of your account.
Related dividend stocks topics
Dividend Achievers ListThese companies have at least 10 years of dividend growth.
Dividend Kings of 2024These companies have increased their dividends every year for 50+ years.
How to Calculate Dividends (With or Without a Balance Sheet)There's a formula to calculating dividends. Learn how to use it to find yours.
Jason Hall has positions in Realty Income. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Costco Wholesale, and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2024 $47.50 calls on Coca-Cola. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Regular dividends are usually paid quarterly, although they can also be paid monthly, biannually, or annually. Special dividend: This type of dividend is a one-time payment.
Dividends are typically issued quarterly but can also be disbursed monthly or annually. Distributions are announced in advance and determined by the company's board of directors. Companies pay dividends for a variety of reasons, most often to show their financial stability and to keep or attract investors.
Key Takeaways. A dividend is usually a cash payment from earnings that companies pay to their investors. Dividends are typically paid on a quarterly basis, though some pay annually, and a small few pay monthly.
Dividend declarations often accompany earnings announcements. Existing shareholders receive the declaration information directly from the company, usually by a notice in the mail. Investing information websites regularly publish upcoming ex-dividend dates, along with the amount of the dividend.
The Company normally pays dividends four times a year, usually April 1, July 1, October 1 and December 15. Shareowners of record can elect to receive their dividend payments electronically or by check in the currency of their choice.
Dividends can be classified either as ordinary or qualified. Whereas ordinary dividends are taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividends that meet certain requirements are taxed at lower capital gain rates.
Investors must have bought the stock at least two days before the official date of a dividend payment (the "date of record") in order to receive that payment. The company pays out the dividend to shareholders.
What Is a Good Dividend Yield? Yields from 2% to 6% are generally considered to be a good dividend yield, but there are plenty of factors to consider when deciding if a stock's yield makes it a good investment. Your own investment goals should also play a big role in deciding what a good dividend yield is for you.
A dividend is a reward paid to the shareholders for their investment in a company's equity, and it usually originates from the company's net profits. For investors, dividends represent an asset, but for the company, they are shown as a liability.
When it comes to investing for dividends, there are three key dates that everyone should memorize. The three dates are the date of declaration, date of record, and date of payment.
Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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