Ex dividend and dividend dates

I am not a guru on the ins and outs of trading....I mostly go long haul investments.

But don't the exchanges drop the price of the stock automatically by the value of the dividend on the ex-div date?

I usually look to buy right after the record date, since you typicaly do see a drop in price, but for DIV stocks I buy and hold.

quote:

---

Does anyone sell their stock the day after Ex dividend and then pick it back up on dividend day?

---

That's 8 trades per year. On just one stock. frick that.