Benzinga | Dec 8, 2020 10:16AM EST

Ex-Dividend Date Insight: American Assets Trust

On October 27, 2020, American Assets Trust (NYSE:AAT) announced shareholders can expect to receive a dividend payable on December 24, 2020. The stock will then go ex-dividend 1 business day(s) before the record date. The ex-dividend date for American Assets Trust is set for December 9, 2020. The company's current dividend payout sits at $0.25, equating to a dividend yield of 4.22% at current price levels.

The Significance Of Ex-Dividend Dates

An ex-dividend date is when a company's shares stop trading with its current dividend payout in preparation for the company to announce a new one. 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 American Assets Trust's Dividend Payouts And Yields

Over the past year, American Assets Trust has seen its dividend payouts descend downward and yields trend upward. Last year on December 11, 2019 the company's payout sat at $0.3, which has since decreased by $0.05. American Assets Trust's dividend yield last year was 2.55%, which has since grown by 1.67%.

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.

To read more about American Assets Trust click here.