Understanding Western Asset High Income's Ex-Dividend Date

On February 17, 2021, Western Asset High Income HIX declared a dividend payable on May 3, 2021 to its shareholders. Western Asset High Income also announced that shareholders on the company's books on or before April 23, 2021 are entitled to the dividend. The stock will then go ex-dividend 1 business day(s) before the record date. The ex-dividend date for Western Asset High Income is set for April 22, 2021. The company's current dividend payout sits at $0.05, equating to a dividend yield of 8.45% 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 Western Asset High Income's Dividend Performance

Over the past year, Western Asset High Income has seen its dividend payouts remain the same and its yields trend downward. Last year on February 18, 2021 the company's payout sat at $0.05, which has returned to its value today. Western Asset High Income's dividend yield last year was 8.65%, which has since decreased by 0.2%.
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.

Click here to find details on Western Asset High Income's previous dividends.