Ex Dividend / Final Dividend and Dividend payment dates

[quickthinker]

What qualifies shares on a dividend payment
ie do your have to complete purchase prior to the ex-div date and sell after the Final Div date or the payment date.
Am I correct?

[dzug]

Nope.

You just have to own them on the qualifying date which i assume is the (working) day before the ex-dividend date. You can sell them straightaway after if you want. In company reports you get statements like a dividend of x pence per share will be paid on 27 July to shareholders registered on 25 May. You can have sold the shares long before 27 July and still get the dividend.

[quickthinker]

Thanks
dzug