Dividend investors often focus on the payment date, but the ex-dividend date is usually the more important date when determining whether a new purchase will qualify for a dividend. upcoming ex dividend dates.
For U.S. stocks, the ex-dividend date establishes when a newly purchased share no longer carries the right to the declared dividend. With the U.S. operating on a T+1 settlement cycle, investors generally need to own the shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the scheduled distribution.
As of September 16, 2026, several upcoming ex-dividend dates are scheduled for later this month. Among the currently highlighted names are Gladstone Capital (GLAD), Gladstone Commercial (GOOD), Gladstone Investment (GAIN), Chicago Atlantic BDC (LIEN), and Seanergy Maritime Holdings (SHIP), with ex-dates falling between September 21 and September 25.
The key point is simple: a dividend calendar is useful only if you understand which date determines eligibility.
What Is an Ex-Dividend Date?
The ex-dividend date is the date on which a stock begins trading without the right to its previously declared dividend for new buyers.
If you purchase shares before the ex-dividend date, you generally qualify for the upcoming dividend. If you purchase on the ex-dividend date or afterward, the seller—not the new buyer—generally receives that particular payment.
For example, Gladstone Capital’s September 2026 dividend has an ex-dividend date of September 21, with payment scheduled for September 30. That means investors seeking that distribution generally need to own the stock before September 21.
The distinction matters because the following dates serve different purposes:
- Declaration date: The company announces the dividend.
- Ex-dividend date: Determines whether a new buyer is entitled to the declared dividend.
- Record date: The company determines eligible shareholders.
- Payment date: The dividend is actually paid.
Dividend Timeline: From Announcement to Cash Payment
A typical dividend follows a sequence like this:
| Dividend milestone | What it means |
|---|---|
| Declaration date | Board announces the dividend |
| Ex-dividend date | New buyers generally no longer qualify |
| Record date | Company identifies eligible shareholders |
| Payment date | Cash is distributed |
Under the U.S. T+1 settlement framework, the relationship between the ex-date and record date is especially important. Investors do not normally need to wait until the record date to purchase shares.
The practical rule is easier to remember:
If you want an upcoming dividend, check the ex-dividend date first—not simply the payment date.
Upcoming Ex-Dividend Dates for September 2026
As of September 16, the following featured U.S. dividend stocks have upcoming ex-dividend dates later in the month.
| Stock | Ticker | Ex-dividend date | Dividend | Payment date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gladstone Capital | GLAD | Sept. 21, 2026 | $0.15 | Sept. 30 | Monthly |
| Gladstone Commercial | GOOD | Sept. 21, 2026 | $0.10 | Sept. 30 | Monthly |
| Gladstone Investment | GAIN | Sept. 21, 2026 | $0.08 | Sept. 30 | Monthly |
| Chicago Atlantic BDC | LIEN | Sept. 25, 2026 | $0.34 | Oct. 9 | Quarterly |
| Seanergy Maritime | SHIP | Sept. 25, 2026 | $0.35 | Oct. 9 | Quarterly |
The five dates and payment schedules above were reported as confirmed in September 2026 coverage.
September 21: GLAD, GOOD and GAIN
Three Gladstone-related companies are scheduled to go ex-dividend on September 21.
Gladstone Capital (GLAD) has a monthly dividend of $0.15 per share and a September 30 payment date. Its indicated annual dividend based on that monthly rate is $1.80.
Gladstone Commercial (GOOD) has a $0.10 monthly dividend, also scheduled for September 30. Its current monthly distribution has remained unchanged since January 2023, according to September reporting.
Gladstone Investment (GAIN) has a $0.08 monthly dividend, with a September 30 payment date. Reported adjusted net investment income was $0.26 per share against a $0.24 quarterly obligation on the monthly dividend.
September 25: LIEN and SHIP
Two other featured names have September 25 ex-dividend dates.
Chicago Atlantic BDC (LIEN) has a quarterly dividend of $0.34 per share and a payment date of October 9. Its reported first-quarter 2026 net investment income was $0.44 per share compared with the $0.34 quarterly payout.
Seanergy Maritime Holdings (SHIP) has a $0.35 quarterly dividend scheduled for October 9. Unlike a fixed monthly payer, its distributions can vary with shipping-market conditions; the company had paid $0.20 in each of the two preceding quarters cited in the September report.
These figures illustrate why investors should look beyond the dividend yield alone. A high distribution can have very different underlying economics depending on whether the company is a BDC, REIT, operating company, or shipping business.
How to Use an Ex-Dividend Calendar
A useful dividend calendar should answer four questions quickly:
- When is the ex-dividend date?
- How much is the dividend?
- When will the payment arrive?
- What is the last practical trading day to qualify?
For example, if a stock goes ex-dividend on Monday, September 21, the preceding trading day—Friday, September 18—is generally the last practical day to purchase shares and still qualify for that dividend.
For GLAD, GOOD and GAIN, September reporting identifies September 18 as the last practical buy day because September 21 is the ex-date.
For LIEN and SHIP, the September 25 ex-date means Thursday, September 24 is the preceding trading day.
A simple workflow
When reviewing a dividend calendar:
- Start with the ex-dividend date.
- Identify the preceding trading day.
- Check the payment date.
- Review the dividend amount.
- Check dividend coverage and financial results.
- Look for recent dividend increases or cuts.
- Consider taxes and account type.
- Confirm the dates with the company’s investor-relations materials before placing a trade.
The Last Day to Buy Dividend Stocks
The phrase dividend buy-by date can be confusing because companies generally do not label a separate “buy-by date.”
Instead, investors derive it from the ex-dividend date.
If the ex-dividend date is Monday:
Friday → last preceding trading day
Monday → ex-dividend date
Later date → payment
However, weekends, market holidays, trading halts and corporate actions can complicate the calendar. Always verify the actual trading schedule.
The most important mistake to avoid is buying solely because the payment date looks attractive. A stock paying cash on October 9 does not necessarily mean you can purchase it on October 8 and receive that payment.
Ex-Dividend Date vs. Record Date
The record date is the date the company uses to determine which shareholders are entitled to the dividend.
The ex-dividend date is the more useful date for someone deciding whether to buy shares.
This distinction is especially important because investors sometimes see a record date and assume they can buy the stock on that date and still qualify. Under the U.S. settlement system, that is generally not how dividend eligibility works.
For example, Texas Instruments declared a $1.42 quarterly dividend in July 2026, payable August 11 to shareholders of record July 31. Its published dividend information demonstrates how the record and payment dates are specified separately from the trading cutoff.
How Ex-Dividend Dates Can Affect Stock Prices
A stock’s price can fall around the ex-dividend date because the shares no longer carry the value of the declared dividend.
All else equal, the mechanical adjustment can approximate the dividend amount. But actual market prices are influenced by many other factors, including:
- Earnings announcements
- Interest-rate expectations
- Economic data
- Investor sentiment
- Company-specific news
- Sector movements
- Broader market volatility
Therefore, investors should not assume that a stock will move by exactly the dividend amount.
This is also why dividend capture is not as simple as buying immediately before an ex-date and selling afterward. The stock-price adjustment can offset some or all of the dividend, while taxes, trading costs and market movements can further change the result.
What to Check Beyond the Dividend Date
A calendar tells you when a dividend is scheduled. It does not tell you whether the dividend is financially sustainable.
Before treating a dividend-paying stock as an income investment, consider:
Dividend yield
A high dividend yield can be attractive, but yield rises mechanically when a stock’s price falls. A very high yield can therefore signal greater risk rather than simply greater income.
Dividend payout ratio
The payout ratio compares dividends with earnings or another appropriate cash-flow measure. Extremely high or unstable payout ratios may warrant closer investigation.
Dividend coverage
Coverage examines whether the company’s earnings or cash flow adequately support its distribution.
The appropriate measure depends on the business. BDCs, REITs, partnerships and conventional corporations can have very different cash-flow structures.
Earnings and cash flow
For ordinary corporations, review earnings per share, operating cash flow and free cash flow. For partnerships such as Plains All American Pipeline, distributable cash flow may be a more relevant metric than conventional EPS.
Dividend growth
A company that consistently increases its dividend may have a different income profile from one that simply offers a high current yield.
A Look Back: July 27–31, 2026 Dividend Calendar
Your original keyword set focuses heavily on July 27–31, 2026. Those dates have already passed as of September 16, so they should not be described as upcoming.
They are still useful for a historical dividend-calendar example.
During that period, several well-known U.S. dividend stocks went ex-dividend. Fastenal, for example, had a July 28, 2026 ex-dividend date, a $0.26 dividend and an August 25 payment date. Fastenal’s official dividend history confirms those dates.
Market calendar data also lists:
- Paychex (PAYX): July 28 ex-date, $1.19 dividend, August 28 payment
- Fastenal (FAST): July 28 ex-date, $0.26 dividend, August 25 payment
- West Pharmaceutical Services: July 29 ex-date
- Constellation Brands (STZ): July 30 ex-date, $1.03 dividend
- Alliant Energy (LNT): July 31 ex-date, $0.535 dividend
- Texas Instruments (TXN): July 31 ex-date, $1.42 dividend
AGNC Investment also had a July 31, 2026 ex-dividend date for its $0.12 monthly dividend, with payment on August 11. AGNC’s official dividend history confirms the sequence.
That historical example demonstrates why a weekly dividend calendar can be more useful than checking payment dates alone: multiple companies can cluster their ex-dates within just a few trading sessions.
Common Mistakes With Dividend Calendars
1. Buying on the payment date
The payment date is when the money is distributed, not the cutoff for eligibility.
2. Confusing the record date with the ex-date
The two dates serve different purposes.
3. Chasing the highest dividend yield
Yield alone does not measure dividend quality or sustainability.
4. Ignoring dividend coverage
A large dividend supported by weak underlying cash generation can carry substantially different risk from a payout supported by recurring cash flow.
5. Forgetting taxes
Dividend income can have different tax treatment depending on the investor’s jurisdiction, account and security type.
6. Assuming every dividend is identical
Monthly dividend stocks, quarterly dividend stocks, REITs, BDCs, MLPs and conventional corporations can have very different distribution structures.
For example, Plains All American Pipeline and Plains GP Holdings involve partnership structures that can create different tax-reporting considerations from conventional 1099 dividend stocks.
How to Find High-Yield Dividend Stocks With Upcoming Dates
A high-yield screen is only a starting point.
A more useful process combines:
Ex-date → dividend amount → yield → payout/coverage → balance sheet → cash flow → dividend history → valuation
For monthly dividend stocks, investors may also examine whether the company’s recurring cash generation supports the distribution.
For dividend growth stocks, the historical pattern of dividend increases can be more informative than the current yield alone.
For high-yield dividend stocks, additional attention should be paid to leverage, asset values, earnings quality and the sustainability of distributions.
source: nasdaq.com
Dividend Payment Dates and Schedules
Payment dates can occur days or weeks after an ex-dividend date.
For example, the September 2026 featured calendar includes:
- GLAD: September 21 ex-date → September 30 payment
- GOOD: September 21 ex-date → September 30 payment
- GAIN: September 21 ex-date → September 30 payment
- LIEN: September 25 ex-date → October 9 payment
- SHIP: September 25 ex-date → October 9 payment
Keeping both dates in a spreadsheet or dividend-tracking application can help investors distinguish eligibility dates from cash-flow dates.
What Makes a Dividend Calendar Useful?
The best dividend calendar is not necessarily the one with the most tickers.
A useful calendar should provide:
- Ex-dividend date
- Record date
- Payment date
- Dividend amount
- Dividend frequency
- Current or indicated yield
- Historical dividend changes
- Coverage information
- Company or investor-relations confirmation
Investors should also verify information close to the trading date because boards can change dividend declarations, and calendar providers can occasionally contain outdated or incorrect information.
Custom FAQs
What is the best dividend calendar?
There is no single calendar that is best for every investor. A useful dividend calendar should show the ex-dividend date, dividend amount, record date, payment date and frequency, while allowing investors to verify important information against company filings or investor-relations pages.
Where can I find a weekly dividend calendar?
A weekly dividend calendar can be found through several financial-data services that organize stocks by ex-dividend date. For U.S. stocks, investors can also compare those schedules with individual company investor-relations pages. Calendar data should be verified before trading.
Where can I find an ex-dividend date calendar for 2026?
Several financial websites publish 2026 ex-dividend calendars. DividendStocks.com, for example, provides a September 2026 calendar organized by company, dividend amount, yield, ex-date, record date and payment date.
Which high-dividend stocks have upcoming ex-dividend dates?
As of September 16, 2026, featured high-yield names with upcoming ex-dates include GLAD, GOOD, GAIN, LIEN and SHIP. Their confirmed ex-dividend dates fall between September 21 and September 25, although investors should verify the latest company information before trading
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