@elbrutus, Every g*d d*mn finance book will teach you that ex-dividend price = last market closing price - dividend. Even if you have not read any books (you even got the guts to question people which book and call people funny), common sense will tell you that a payment of such huge dividend will reduce the company's assets tremendously which would result in a decrease in the company's valuation. Company's valuation go down = Share price go down. FUNNY