8 Stocks To Go Ex-Dividend On August 14, 2012

A dividend is the amount paid by a company to its shareholders. Ex-dividend dates help make sure dividend checks go to the right people. The settlement of stocks is generally a T+3 process, which indicates that when you purchase a stock, it takes three days from the transaction date (T) for the change to be entered into the company’s record books.

The ex-dividend date is a date when buying a stock would not make you entitled to the declared dividend for the stock. When anyone buys a stock on or after an ex-dividend date that buyer will not be able to collect a dividend until the next available dividend payment comes around. A seller would be the one to get this dividend in this case. A typical ex-dividend date is set two business days before the record date for a stock.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) maintains an annual dividend yield of 2.63% and a payout ratio of 39.58%. The stock over the last 52 weeks has been trading in a range of $23.79 – $32.95. Its market capitalization stands at $254.77 billion. MSFT develops, licenses, and supports a range of software products and services; and designs and sells hardware worldwide.

Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) engages in the operation of a passenger airline that provides scheduled air transportation in the United States. Southwest Airlines Co Ltd. has an annual dividend yield of 0.44% and keeps a payout ratio at 5.36%. The stock in the prior 52 weeks has been trading between $7.15 – $10.05. The company is valued at $6.78 billion.

Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) currently holds a yearly dividend yield of 2.47%. The stock has traded between $19.132 – $35.49 in the past 52 weeks and has a market capitalization of $19.42 billion.

Gildan Activewear Inc. (USA) (NYSE:GIL) engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Gildan Activewear Inc has a dividend yield of 0.97%. The stock in the past 52 weeks has been floating in the range of $16.32 – $31.03. The company’s market capitalization stands at $3.75 billion.

Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC) has an annual dividend yield of 2.82%. The stock has traded between $26.35 and $50.79 in the last 12-months. Its market capitalization is now at $16.89 billion. MPC together with its subsidiaries, engages in refining, transporting, and marketing petroleum products primarily in the United States.

Icahn Enterprises, L.P (NASDAQ:IEP)’s annual dividend yield is positive at 1.00%. The stock in the previous 52 weeks has been hovering in range of $34.61 – $49.62. The company is worth $4.02 billion.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc (NYSE:CNP) is currently valued at $8.88 billion. The company keeps its annual dividend yield positive at 3.90%. The stock in the previous 52 weeks has traded in a range of $18.07 – $21.47.

Amgen, Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) a biotechnology medicines company, discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human therapeutics based on advances in cellular and molecular biology for grievous illnesses primarily in the United States, Europe, and Canada. Amgen, Inc maintains an annual dividend yield of 1.75% and a payout ratio of 26.76%. The stock over the last 52 weeks has been trading in a range of $49.55 – $84.39. Its market capitalization stands at $63.23 billion.

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed in this article are exclusively those of the authors who have no stake in any stocks mentioned, and hold no plan to acquire any stake within the next 5 days.