IHTM18110 | Stocks and shares: listed stocks, shares and investments: other issues: dividends
From HM Revenue & Customs · Inheritance Tax Manual
The ex-dividend marking refers to dividends that are declared but not yet paid at the date of valuation.
A listed company usually pays a dividend on its shares twice a year. The value of the dividend is announced some weeks before it is actually paid. In the intervening period,
the value of the shares does not reflect the additional dividend, but
its quotation on the stock exchange (IHTM18092) is endorsed ‘XD’ (ex-dividend) to reflect it.
The value of the dividend is then usually provided separately in pence per share (except for Unit Trust funds (IHTM18095)).
If the deceased/transferor held ‘XD’ shares, the right to receive the dividends is an asset of the chargeable estate (IHTM04043). The dividends should be included at their full quotation value.