Final answer:
Shareholders are eligible for a dividend if they own the shares on the date of record. The record date is the crucial date for determining dividend eligibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Shareholders are eligible for a dividend if they own the shares on the date of record. When a company decides to distribute dividends, it announces a declaration date, ex-dividend date, record date, and a payment date. The record date is the cut-off date established by a company in order to determine which shareholders are eligible to receive a dividend or distribution. Only the investors who are shareholders of record on the company’s books as of the record date will receive the dividend.