You can bet that any investor in Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares look forward to their dividend payments. After all, most investors who own shares of any ASX big four bank usually do so with the expectation of hefty dividend income.
Well, for ANZ investors, the next dividend payment is just around the corner. ANZ is scheduled to pay out its final dividend for FY2022 next month on 15 December. Just in time for Christmas.
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ANZ shares to go ex-dividend next week
The bank will be doling out a payment of 74 cents per share, fully franked. That's a slight increase over the interim dividend of 72 cents per share that investors enjoyed back in July. Last year's final dividend was also a 72 cents per share payment.
But if investors who don't already own ANZ shares want to get their hands on next month's final dividend, they will have to be quick. That's because ANZ shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend for this payment on Monday next week.
When a share trades ex-dividend, any new investors who own the shares on or after that date are ineligible to receive the dividend in question. So today is effectively the last day one can buy ANZ shares and be eligible to receive this next payment.
Investors will have until 9 November to decide if they wish to receive the dividend in cash. Or else opt for the optional dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).
When a company goes ex-dividend, we often see a big fall in the company's share price on that day. This reflects the value of the dividend leaving the company's shares. After all, new shareholders won't be able to enjoy the extra cash. So don't be surprised if the ANZ share price seemingly has a bad day on Monday next week.
As of yesterday's closing ANZ share price, this ASX 200 bank has a dividend yield of 5.61%. If we factor in next month's increased dividend, ANZ shares would have a forward yield of 5.69%.
