Yes, exactly and you did state that in your first line. Sorry. And also, back to the question you were answering - The payout date can be long after the ex-div and record dates, and one does not need to own the stock on that date.
That is right that you pointed that out to someone who thought you had to hold it until the payout date. There is one thing to consider though. And this isn't a rule. If you sell it right after the ex divy, sometimes stocks drop because it is trading ex-divy and you can lose some money on the drop. Just a thought.
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