The distributions of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are comprised of components that differ in how they are taxed to the recipient shareholders. This variation in tax characteristics enables us to study the effect of shareholder taxes on stock prices around ex-dividend days while avoiding...

I examine how institutions and individuals trade shares around ex-dividend days. I predict that institutions are more likely than individuals to capture dividends for tax purposes by buying shares of a stock before it goes ex-dividend. I infer the directions of trades and the identities of...