Three well-known dividend payers have confirmed ex-dividend dates landing in the next several trading sessions, which means the window to buy shares and capture the upcoming payments is measured in days, not weeks. To collect the cash, an investor has to be on the books before the ex-date arrives. Once it passes, that specific payment goes to the prior holder.
Quick mechanic: the ex-dividend date is the cutoff. You must own shares before that date to receive the payment. The pay date is when the cash actually hits the account, typically a few weeks later.
Microsoft (MSFT)
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) is a modest yielder at roughly $3.64 per share annualized, but the upcoming payment is confirmed and imminent. The next quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share carries an ex-dividend date of August 20, 2026, with a payment date of September 10, 2026. The last day to buy and still qualify is August 19, 2026.
Coverage here is rock solid. Microsoft posted FY26 diluted EPS of $17.28 against an annualized dividend of $3.64, and free cash flow of $66.99 billion more than covers the payout. Microsoft raised the quarterly rate from $0.83 to $0.91 starting with the February 2026 payment, extending a multi-year streak of increases. The stock closed at $503.17, up 31.41% over the past month on strong post-earnings momentum. Yield is small, but the dividend is arguably the safest on this list.
Amgen (AMGN)
Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) is the heavy hitter on absolute payout. The next quarterly dividend of $2.52 per share has a confirmed ex-dividend date of August 21, 2026, with payment scheduled for September 11, 2026. The buy-by deadline is August 20, 2026. Forward annualized dividend sits at $10.08 per share, materially higher than the S&P 500 average.
Coverage against earnings is comfortable but tighter than Microsoft’s. FY2026 non-GAAP EPS guidance runs $21.70 to $23.10, and the $10.08 annual dividend fits inside that range with room for reinvestment and debt paydown. Amgen lifted the quarterly rate from $2.38 to $2.52 in early 2026, a continuation of a multi-year growth pattern. Shares have run to $414.46, up 49.09% over the past year, so the current yield is compressed from where it stood at the start of 2026, but the dividend itself is well underwritten by pipeline cash flow.
Marriott International (MAR)
Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) rounds out the group. The next quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share carries an ex-dividend date of August 20, 2026, with payment set for September 30, 2026. Investors have to be holders by market close on August 19, 2026. Annualized forward dividend runs $2.92 per share, and management lifted the rate from $0.67 to $0.73 beginning with the Q2 2026 payment.
Coverage is the least strained of the three. FY26 adjusted diluted EPS guidance of $11.64 to $11.81 dwarfs the $2.92 annualized payout, and Marriott has flagged plans to return over $4.5 billion to shareholders in FY26 through dividends and buybacks combined. Shares at $348.87 have pulled back 7.36% over the past month, which nudges the yield modestly higher for anyone buying before the cutoff. This is a cyclical hospitality name, so travel demand is the swing factor, but current cash flow more than clears the dividend hurdle.
The Bottom Line on the Deadline
Chasing a single ex-date is a tactic rather than a long-term strategy. A $0.91 payment or a $2.52 payment does not change the long-run case for any of these names. But if you already like the fundamentals, the mechanics matter: miss the ex-date and you miss that specific check. For MSFT and MAR, the last day to buy is August 19, 2026. For AMGN, it is August 20, 2026. Verify with your broker before you execute, and remember that the stock typically opens lower by roughly the dividend amount on the ex-date itself.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks