Dividend Buying: Linking Dividend Announcements and Ex-Dividend Day Effects

Abstract

We provide a plausible explanation for earlier findings that positive abnormal stock returns associated with dividend announcements persist for several days and that abnormal volume and stock returns commence several days before a stock's ex-dividend day. This study links these two sets of findings to the short-term investment strategy of dividend buying by relating the abnormal returns and trading volume to individual stock characteristics favored by dividend buyers, namely the stock's return variance and dividend yield. We conclude that dividend buying is at least partially responsible for the abnormal returns and volume found between dividend announcement and ex-dividend days.