Benzinga | Dec 17, 2020 10:16AM EST

Understanding Elbit Systems's Ex-Dividend Date

Elbit Systems (NASDAQ:ESLT) declared a dividend payable on January 4, 2021 to its shareholders as of November 24, 2020. It was also announced that shareholders of Elbit Systems's stock as of December 21, 2020 are entitled to the dividend. The stock is expected to become ex-dividend 1 business day(s) before the record date. Elbit Systems, whose current dividend payout is $0.44, has an ex-dividend date set at December 18, 2020. The payout equates to a dividend yield of 1.53% at current price levels.

The Significance Of An Ex-Dividend Date

An ex-dividend date signals when a company's shares cease to trade with its current dividend payout. There is a small intermission period before the company announces a new dividend. Usually, a company's ex-dividend date falls one business day before its record date. Investors should keep this in mind when purchasing stocks because buying them on or after ex-dividend dates does not qualify them to receive the declared payment. Newly declared dividends go to shareholders who have owned that stock before the ex-dividend date. Typically, companies will announce and implement new dividend yields on a quarterly basis.

Understanding Elbit Systems's Dividend Payouts And Yields

Over the past year, Elbit Systems has experienced no change regarding its dividend payouts and an overall upward trend regarding its yields. Last year on December 26, 2019 the company's payout was $0.44, which has returned to its value today. Elbit Systems's dividend yield last year was 1.07%, which has since grown by 0.46%.

Companies use dividend yields in different strategic ways. Some companies may opt to not give yields altogether to reinvest in themselves. Other companies may opt to increase or decrease their yield amounts to control how their shares circulate throughout the stock market.

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