4 Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Tomorrow: GOOD, PAG, SNA, BG

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Tomorrow, May 16, 2013, 31 U.S. common stocks are scheduled to go ex-dividend. The dividend yields on these stocks range from 0.9% to 25%. All of these stocks can be found on our stocks going ex-dividend section of our dividend calendar.

Highlighted Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Tomorrow:

Gladstone Commercial Corporation

Owners of Gladstone Commercial Corporation (NASDAQ: GOOD) shares as of market close today will be eligible for a dividend of 13 cents per share. At a price of $20.30 as of 9:36 a.m. ET, the dividend yield is 7.7%.

The average volume for Gladstone Commercial Corporation has been 71,700 shares per day over the past 30 days. Gladstone Commercial Corporation has a market cap of $224.0 million and is part of the real estate industry. Shares are up 9.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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Gladstone Commercial Corporation operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. It engages in investing in and owning net leased industrial and commercial real properties, and making long-term industrial and commercial mortgage loans.

TheStreet Ratings rates Gladstone Commercial Corporation as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, increase in stock price during the past year and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, deteriorating net income and disappointing return on equity. You can view the full Gladstone Commercial Corporation Ratings Report now.

• See our top-yielding stocks list.

Penske Automotive Group

Owners of Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG) shares as of market close today will be eligible for a dividend of 15 cents per share. At a price of $31.91 as of 9:36 a.m. ET, the dividend yield is 1.9%.

The average volume for Penske Automotive Group has been 393,800 shares per day over the past 30 days. Penske Automotive Group has a market cap of $2.8 billion and is part of the specialty retail industry. Shares are up 6.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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Penske Automotive Group, Inc. operates as an automotive retailer. The company operates in two segments, Retail and Other. It sells new and used motor vehicles of approximately 41 brands. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.15.

TheStreet Ratings rates Penske Automotive Group as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income, revenue growth and attractive valuation levels. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated. You can view the full Penske Automotive Group Ratings Report now.

• See our top-yielding stocks list.

Snap-on

Owners of Snap-on (NYSE: SNA) shares as of market close today will be eligible for a dividend of 38 cents per share. At a price of $91.39 as of 9:36 a.m. ET, the dividend yield is 1.7%.

The average volume for Snap-on has been 286,500 shares per day over the past 30 days. Snap-on has a market cap of $5.2 billion and is part of the industrial industry. Shares are up 15.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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Snap-on Incorporated provides tools, equipment, diagnostics, and repair information and systems solutions for professional users. It operates through four segments: Commercial and Industrial Group, Snap-on Tools Group, Repair Systems and Information Group, and Financial Services. The company has a P/E ratio of 16.53.

TheStreet Ratings rates Snap-on as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins, solid stock price performance and growth in earnings per share. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity. You can view the full Snap-on Ratings Report now.

• See our top-yielding stocks list.

Bunge

Owners of Bunge (NYSE: BG) shares as of market close today will be eligible for a dividend of 27 cents per share. At a price of $71.42 as of 9:36 a.m. ET, the dividend yield is 1.5%.

The average volume for Bunge has been 1.1 million shares per day over the past 30 days. Bunge has a market cap of $10.5 billion and is part of the food & beverage industry. Shares are down 0.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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Bunge Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in agriculture and food business worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 24.58.

TheStreet Ratings rates Bunge as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, good cash flow from operations and growth in earnings per share. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity. You can view the full Bunge Ratings Report now.

• See our top-yielding stocks list.

More About Dividends:

One benefit of owning a stock is the potential that you will be paid a dividend. The distribution of dividend payments is another way for a company to share its profit with you. A dividend means that the company pays you a certain amount of money, either as a one-time payment or more commonly on a quarterly basis, for each share of stock you own.

Many times, dividends come at the expense of greater price appreciation, because the company is distributing its profits to shareholders rather than reinvesting the profits back into the growth of the company. However, companies that pay dividends can be very attractive to investors when they offer a steady stream of income. There are some important terms and dates an investor should be familiar with before purchasing any dividend-paying companies. Let's work through an example to help better explain some of these terms:

On March 1, ABC Widget Company has decided that because it holds excess cash and lacks investment opportunities, it would like to reward shareholders with a regular quarterly dividend payment. The date for this particular announcement is known as the declaration date. It is on this date that the company announces the specific dividend payment along with the holder of record date (aka record date) and the payment date. The company announces that a dividend payment of 25 cents per share will be payable March 31, 2012 (the payment date) to all shareholders of record at the close of business on March 16, 2012 (holder of record date). What does this all mean? Well the short story is that the company looks at its records on March 16 and anyone listed on the books as an owner of ABC Widget company will be eligible for the dividend payment (on March 31).

The one other important term to remember is the ex-dividend date. The ex-dividend date (typically two trading days before the holder of record date for U.S. securities) is the day in which a company begins trading without the dividend. In order to have a claim on a dividend, shares must be purchased no later than the last business day before the ex-dividend date. A company trading ex-dividend will have the upcoming dividend subtracted from the share price at the start of the trading day. Many times, the price of a stock will increase in anticipation of the upcoming dividend as the ex-dividend date approaches, yet will fall back by the amount of the dividend on the ex-dividend date.

• See our dividend calendar.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.