Option assignment on high priced stocks ex. dividend. (money)

[howard555]

Last month or earlier in August I had a spread on Apple. Wednesday of that week, I got assigned on a short call. The stock was only about $3.00 above the strike price which was nothing for Apple. I had never been assigned like that on such a high priced stock price that was so close to being out of the money. The other side assigned me to capture the Apple dividend. It was ex-dividend on that date and when it was payable, the $305.00 was removed from my account.