SJ -
It would be INTERESTING nonetheless to see or know if brokers/MMs/Shorters sold stock then to those who bought on or near the final Ex day.
If what I remember of the rules are correct... shorts are required to PAY for the dividends, or COVER after the fact at whatever market price is determined.
Shareholders who bought cannot be held liable... they followed the rules and bought through brokers in market conditions. Those who sold them the shares... real, or short, should be held to a serious fire.
And if this is done so... MANY share will be forced coverage since if they sold 1 share to someone who will receive 100... then they under regulation will be required to cover 100.
Which would CERTAINLY drive the stock price in the short term quite high due to a short squeeze.
It just matters how much pull the company or TA has here with the SEC, Finra, etc...
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