I’ve been investing for a while now, and I like to think I’ve got a decent grasp on the basics—buy before the ex-dividend date if you want the dividend, right? Simple enough. But recently, while checking up on McDonald’s (MCD), I saw the company had declared a $1.77 dividend, payable in mid-June. Perfect, I thought—let me just double-check the ex-dividend date so I don’t miss out. But that’s where things got murky. One site said the ex-date was June 2. Another said May 30. And a few others were parroting both, as if they were interchangeable. Like this site https://www.moomoo.com/news/post/53...tgpt.com&level=1&data_ticket=1748556804103758 A few other AI generated sites were doing the same thing. So I took a step back and reminded myself how dividends actually work. The ex-dividend date is not the same as the record date. If the record date is June 2—and the markets are closed on the weekend—then the ex-dividend date must be the last business day before that, which would be Friday, May 30. If you buy the stock on or after that Friday, you’re too late. You’ve missed the cut. I'm wondering now if this is intentional. We know the stock drops on the ex-dividend date, but if people are being tricked into buying the next day, it could cause the stock to rise, so that those in the know who only bought for the dividend to sell the next day get a better price.
That is a simple problem. It can be fixed very easily. Newbie traders/investors read a lot. Oldie traders/investors read selectively/a little.
As Max said. Please refrain from using Main Stream Financial News. Do your own diligence. Check Your specific news from the company themselves. If you trade on Political related Business news...double, triple check news sources. About 50% of what this forum is about is cutting thru, analyzing, "debunking" supposed Financial News..including political (political thread). Most ''All Mainstream Financial News" is NOT to be trusted. Even companies themselves will post outlandish new technologies and then as the months and years go by..Nothing comes out of it (see Elon Musk) and also (see most Biotech Cure Claims) Mainstream news is for the benefit of insiders, High speed algo traders, corp execs... and the trade already happened by the time average people get the PR news. Much of the time, the news is analyzed and debunked and there becomes a good selling opportunity soon after the main stream news share price pop.
Don't become obsessed with dividend trading investing. It's overrated. You've been watching too many social media finance influencers. They're like locusts in flocks replicating each other. Spend your time understanding the market and becoming a better, wiser, trader Ra of Amun
If you're not paying for it, YOU are the product. Many of these sites seem to exist to Sell crap Sell a narrative Get people to act against their own interest Always be aware or the biases and motivations of a source. Also keep in mind much of what's put out these days is just AI generated gibberish. I wish. This board is in full TDS overdrive these days. Most news commentary here is super shallow obnoxious nonsense. Check any random tariff thread. No real meaningful economic analysis or consideration of the options open to various parties. Just an echo chamber of obnoxiousness and immediate personal attacks on anyone who tries to voice a differing view.
When you finish HS go to morningstar.com -> <ticker symbol> -> dividend -> full dividend history and dates are available. Declared, ex, record, payment dates... moomoo or whatever is some blog-level sht. I realize they are a broker, but they state ex-dividend and receive in the same sentence. Critical thinking, Bro.
what economic analysis is there to do when tariff policy is being made up on the fly? I’d love to read your detailed take.
I think you've missed the point. If pro traders are going on true information and newbie traders are going on false information, there is surely money to be made there. I bought 400 shares yesterday to test it out and sure enough, the stock opened higher than it closed this morning and I closed out my position at $314.28 a few minutes after open. Might have been a fluke, but the fact MCD didn't follow SPY this morning could mean there is an edge here even if its very small.