Due Bill Period

In the context of corporate actions (such as dividends, issuance of rights and warrants, splits, etc.), the period during which remittances to investors are due - once stockholders of record are checked on the record date.

For example, suppose that a stock is going to issue a regular quarterly dividend. The record date is the date at which the list of stockholders of record is prepared - anyone who is on record as owning the stock as of that date will receive the dividend. The ex-date, which usually occurs two days earlier, is the date at which the shares trade on the open market without the right to the dividend (i.e. the time at which a buyer cannot settle his purchase in time to be a holder of record for the dividend).

The period beginning at the record date and usually ending two days later (four days after the earlier ex-date) is when the identities of the holders of record are known and payment is due to them - this is the due bill period.