Coal India, Mazagon Dock, RailTel, Happiest Minds Dividends: Last Day To Buy Shares To Qualify — Details Here

Shares of Coal India Ltd., Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., RailTel Corporation of India Ltd., and Happiest Minds Technologies Ltd. will be of interest on Monday, as the day marks the last session for investors to buy shares to qualify for receiving the dividend before the stock goes ex/record-date.

The record date determines the eligible shareholders who will receive the dividend payment. The ex-dividend date, which mostly coincides with the record date, marks when the share price adjusts to reflect the upcoming payout.

Coal India's board announced an interim dividend of Rs 10.25 per share. The record date to determine the shareholders eligible for the dividend payout has been fixed as Nov. 4.

While Mazagon Dock has announced an interim dividend of Rs 6 per share, Happiest Minds Technologies announced a dividend of Rs 2.75 apiece. RailTel Corporation approved an interim dividend of Rs 1 each.

Given India's T+1 settlement cycle, shares purchased on the record date (Nov. 4 in this case) will not be eligible for the dividend payment. Therefore, investors who own shares by Nov. 3 will be the beneficiaries.

Dividends are a way for companies to reward shareholders. It is the portion of profits that a company distributes to its shareholders and is essentially a return on the investment shareholders make in the company's equity. Such payments are made through final, interim, and special dividends.

Dividends are taxable in the hands of the shareholders, and companies are no longer required to pay the Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT). The TDS on dividend income for resident individuals is 10% if the dividend amount exceeds Rs 5,000 in a financial year.