FOR BEGINNERS More statistics

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 45

FOR BEGINNERS More statistics

This is the 13th article in a 14-part series by ADRIAN BR.OKKING explaining the sharemarket to new investors. The articles were first printed three years ago and were so popular they were reprinted as a booklet. There have been many requests for, and inquiries about, the articles, so they have been revised, updated, and expanded where necessary. The articles will be printed on the business pages of “The Press” each Wednesday.

Other statistical information on the sharemarket to be found in the financial pages of “The Press” are the weekly lists of “dividends payable” and “ex dividend this week,” printed usually on Tuesday. In the example above, chosen at random, National Bloodstock is to pay a final dividend of 2c a share on September 2, whereas Ivon WatkinsDow in paying an interim dividend of 9.5 c a share on September 3, and so on.

The “ex dividend” list likewise shows the

Nat Blood.—f 2c. . . . Sep 2 Pacer Pac.—f. 2c. . . Sep 2 IWDow.— i. 9.5 c .... Sep 3 Lion.— f. 12c Sep 3 Abcal.— i. 6.25 c. .... Sep 4 Dom Brew.—f. 10c . . Sep 4 Steel Tube.—f. 7c. . . Sep 5

Ex dividend this week

Nat Blood.— 2c ... .Aug 26 Pacer Pac.— 2c .. . .Aug 26 Kupe.—l.Bc Sept 1 Placer.— 7.sc Sept 1 amount of the dividend and the date the shares go “ex dividend” for trading

purposes. Before that date buyers get the dividend, after that date the sellers receive it, naturally, there is a price adjustment, as we saw in the eighth article of this series.

The ex dividend date is set by the stock exchange, and is usually three clear trading days before the date that the company closes its share register (the “books”) to determine the dividend entitlement of each shareholder and write out the cheques. This is done to allow for transfers of shares that might be in transit in the mail.