Coal India share prices tank nearly 6%; top loser on BSE Sensex

Shares of Coal India Ltd tumbled nearly 6 per cent amid massive selling by investors as the stock went ex-dividend today.

The stock fell by 5.68 per cent to Rs 372.25 on the BSE. The blue-chip scrip was the biggest loser among the 30-Sensex constituents.

At the NSE, it tumbled 5.5 per cent to Rs 373.

Marketmen said profit-booking pulled down the stock.

“Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on February 27, 2015, approved payment of interim dividend for the financial year 2014-15 at Rs 20.70 per share of the face value of Rs 10,” the company had said in a filing to the BSE last month.

The date of payment is on March 10, 2015, it had said.

Coal India Ltd had informed BSE last month that the company has fixed March 4, 2015 as the record date for the purpose of payment of interim dividend on equity shares for the financial year 2014-15, if declared by the board.

The issuing company fixes a particular date which is termed as record date when the investor must own shares in order to be eligible to participate in events like receiving dividend, bonus shares.

An ex-dividend is classification of trading shares when a declared dividend initially belongs to the seller rather than the buyer.