Record date

The record date is the date on which (or, to be more accurate, as at which) a list of the holders of a registered security is extracted from the register in order to process a corporate action.

For example, a dividend will be paid to shareholders who are on the register at the end of day on the record date. Because of the time taken to clear trades this will usually be a few days after the last date on which the shares trade cum-dividend.