It’s critical to know whether a stock you plan on buying has an ex-dividend status, because in case it does, the dividend would be paid out to the seller. The person who owns the stock on the ex-dividend date will be awarded the payment, which means that you’ll have to wait for the next dividend cycle to receive your first dividend payout from the company.

On the other hand, share prices typically decline just after the ex-dividend date is declared, and usually by an amount equal to the expected dividend. So, this may give you the opportunity to identify a good entry point. If you’re planning on selling shares on or after the ex-dividend date, you'll receive the dividend payout from the company.

Here is the list of stocks going ex-dividend on Friday.

• LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB) - $0.8500 dividend, 4.0959 percent yield. LyondellBasell shares have dropped 9.16 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 5.58 percent in the same period.
• Stage Stores Inc (NYSE: SSI) - $0.1500 dividend, 10.3448 percent yield. Stage Stores shares have declined 40.66 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has increased 5.58 percent in the same period.
• KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) - $0.0850 dividend, 2.0000 percent yield. KeyCorp shares have surged 31.25 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 5.58 percent in the same period.
• Investment Technology Group (NYSE: ITG) - $0.0700 dividend, 1.4530 percent yield. Investment Technology shares have dropped 2.70 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has increased 5.58 percent in the same period.
• Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN) - $0.0600 dividend, 1.1299 percent yield. Citi Trends shares have declined 19.87 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 5.58 percent in the same period.
• Deswell Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSWL) - $0.0700 dividend, 7.8652 percent yield. Deswell Industries shares have climbed 19.87 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has increased 5.58 percent in the same period.
• Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP) - $0.2750 dividend, 3.8678 percent yield. Great Plains Energy shares have slipped 1.25 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 5.58 percent in the same period.
• TFS Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: TFSL) - $0.1250 dividend, 1.8797 percent yield. TFS Financial shares have declined 0.21 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has increased 5.58 percent in the same period.