It’s critical to know whether a stock you plan on buying has an ex-dividend status, because in case it does, the dividend would be paid out to the seller. The person who owns the stock on the ex-dividend date will be awarded the payment, which means that you’ll have to wait for the next dividend cycle to receive your first dividend payout from the company.

On the other hand, share prices typically decline just after the ex-dividend date is declared, and usually by an amount equal to the expected dividend. So, this may give you the opportunity to identify a good entry point. If you’re planning on selling shares on or after the ex-dividend date, you'll receive the dividend payout from the company.

Here is the list of stocks going ex-dividend on Friday.

• Potlatch Corporation (NASDAQ: PCH) - $0.3750 dividend, 3.6991 percent yield. Potlatch, based in Spokane, Washington, operates as a real estate investment trust.
• Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (NYSE: DPS) - $0.5300 dividend, 2.5462 percent yield. Dr Pepper Snapple, based in Plano, Texas, operates as a brand owner, manufacturer, and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages.
• DDR Corp (NYSE: DDR) - $0.1900 dividend, 5.0566 percent yield. DDR, based in Beachwood, Ohio, is an equity real estate investment trust.
• Monro Muffler Brake Inc (NASDAQ: MNRO) - $0.1700 dividend, 1.1448 percent yield. Monro Muffler Brake, based in Rochester, New York, provides automotive undercar repair and tire services in the U.S.
• Royce Micro Capital Trust Inc. (NYSE: RMT) - $0.1600 dividend, 7.9602 percent yield. Royce Micro Capital Trust, domiciled in the U.S., is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed Royce & Associates, LLC.
• WashingtonFirst Bankshares Inc (NASDAQ: WFBI) - $0.0700 dividend, 1.0736 percent yield. WashingtonFirst Bankshares, based in Reston, Virginia, operates as the holding company for WashingtonFirst Bank.
• First Keystone Corp. (OTC: FKYS) - $0.2700 dividend, 4.3200 percent yield. First Keystone, based in Berwick, Pennsylvania, operates as the holding company for First Keystone Community Bank.
• Royce Value Trust Inc (NYSE: RVT) - $0.2700 dividend, 8.1818 percent yield. Royce Value Trust, domiciled in the U.S., was formed on July 1, 1986.