Is it better to buy a stock before or after ex-dividend?
In the ideal case, it should make no difference. When a dividend goes Ex-Dividend, it means that the stock holder on record before that date is eligible to receive the dividend payment, even if that stock holder sells the stock.Typically after the Ex Dividend date, the share of the stock falls by an amount close to that of the dividend payment. So to for the sake of clarity, that means that your net asset value is roughly the same whether you buy before or after the Ex-dividend date.So what is more important? Buying at a lower price or owning at a higher price, but having a dividend, perhaps in cash?
Is it illegal to buy stock just before the dividends are announced and sell after ex-dividend date assuming you can sell a few later at the same price you bought?
It’s legal. But—as a favor to me— please don’t do that!Why? Because giant, hugely profitable companies—and their shareholders—didn’t become prosperous by giving away money.If your first day on a new job is the company’s payday, will they give you a paycheck?Of course not.The same principle applies to dividends. Ex-Dividend day is just payday for shareholders. That dividend is merely a chunk of the profit announced 3 months earlier. Consequently, that dividend—and the rest of the profit— is already priced into the stock.So, on ex-dividend day, the price will drop by the amount of the dividend. It’s a wash. Pointless.If you are absolutely convinced that the stock will return to a certain price, why not just buy it when it reaches a lower price?
How do book authors get paid? Are they paid once upon publication or do they collect royalties on each sale?
Advances are going down. I don't know what it is in other industries but I'll be honest about my experiences: First Book: Wiley, $5000. I more than made back the advance for them and continue to get royalty checks. Second book: Wiley: $7500. This one also made back the advance. I get minimal royalty checks. Third book: $30,000. I think this one sold 300 copies. That was my last book with Wiley. You are only as good as your last book. REMEMBER THAT!Fourth book: Penguin. I think when all was said and done I got about $100k. Maybe a little more. The book was titled "The Forever Portfolio" about stocks you should hold "forever". It came out in the middle of the worst financial crisis ever: December, 2008. Nobody was thinking about stocks they should hold forever. I begged them not to release it then. But it was "on the schedule" so they couldn't change it. I'm going to write a post over the next few days at http://jamesaltucher.com about how diseased I think the publishing industry is right now in terms of marketing, advances, timing, etc. Fifth book: I did with a co-author with Harper collins but WSJ paid the advance. Not sure I should say what it is but a little less than 4th book and split it down the middle with co-author. better royalty arrangement though than my prior books. Sixth book: I intend to self-publish within the next month or so. In other areas: a friend of mine writes GREAT fiction novels. None of his novels ever became bestsellers although a few were local (NYC) good-sellers. And he continues to publish. His advances, however, are approaching $0he told me one friend of his who got a $250k advance on a book and then her prior book came out and sales were poor. The publsh tried to reduce the advance but they couldn't. Now her next book will certainly get a much lower advance.one friend of mine gets advances in the millions but he does regular bestsellers. That said, taxes, agents, etc take a big bite so he makes money on speaking.Once spoke to a hedge fund manager who manages John Grisham's money. He says evertime Grisham comes out with a new book, another $20mm goes into the fund.Hope you can a Grisham and not a...me.
What is your current salary? What is your dream salary you expect in next 5 years?
It was year Dec 2014 . I used to travel from bhajanpura Delhi to Noida daily for my Office . I had a fix bus to travel . One day I was sitting next to bus conductor and bus was almost full . I was sitting back side DTC , and almost middle age people were sitting in my surrounding . Conductor asked Do you go office daily , I said yes . He asked me my intero . I said I am an engineer , and he was saying that everyone is engineer nowadays .I said yes it true every family has a engineer . Than he asked me how much you earn . I said nothing . he was surprised with my answer He said you go office daily , you come late in the night and you earn nothing . I said its true but I am still learning in my office and they don’t pay to learners . He said you are wasting your time and other co passengers around me has started their conversation , that nowadays there is no job for engineers , they are ready to any job in any salary . They were giving me suggestions do this do that but don’t work for free . Then I told to my bus conductor of course I am working for free , because I know I am not from a very known college , my grads are not that much good , I don’t deserve to be paid . I am learning and doing hard , and for sure in 2 year my monthly salary will be in Lakh. Than everyone was laughing there , they said R u making rocket or learning magic , how can u earn this much even earning nothing now . I asked my conductor give me your phone number , I saved his phone number and told him will call you after two year will send you salary slip . 2 year passed I was in Malaysia was working for Intel . I thought of messaging him , but there was a beautiful girl on the whatsapp DP on that number , may he has changed his number . “ almost 5 year completed I earn very well . But still feel myself as a fresher , always try to learn new things .