Does the record date really matter? I was in another stock once. They said had to be in by a record date, but turns out u could buy up until a day before the pay date. They gave 7 for 1 in dividends, but it was really a forward split in all ways. They just called it dividends, when it was no different than a f/s with the exception they did give 7 for 1, not 6 for every 1.