Avery Dennison Corporation ( NYSE:AVY ) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Thus, you can purchase Avery Dennison's shares before the 5th of September in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 20th of September.