The ex-dividend date is the deadline for investors to be eligible for a company's next dividend payment. When a stock goes ex-dividend, the stock price is typically adjusted downward by the amount of the dividend to reflect the fact that new buyers will not receive the dividend. This is likely to cause a short-term drop in Eagle Bulk Shipping's stock price. However, the dividend payout may attract income-focused investors, which could provide a boost to the stock after the ex-dividend date.