The ex-dividend date is the cutoff date by which you must own shares to receive the next dividend payment. If you buy on or after the ex-date, you won't receive the upcoming dividend.
Timeline: Declaration Date → Ex-Dividend Date → Record Date → Payment Date
If a stock goes ex-dividend on March 15 with a $1 dividend: you must own shares by March 14 to receive the payment. The stock typically drops by approximately the dividend amount on the ex-date.
AllInvestView shows upcoming ex-dividend dates and tracks all payments in your dividend tracker. Read our dividend growth guide.