Glossary of Investment Terms
Keeping up with the increasing number of investment products and services in the marketplace today can be confusing. This glossary is designed to help you understand some of the more common investment and financial terms you may encounter. Your financial advisor can explain these terms more completely and discuss with you those relevant to your situation.
Accrued interest – The interest due on a bond since the last interest payment was made. The buyer of the bond pays the market price plus accrued interest.
Acquisition – The acquiring of control of one corporation by another. In "unfriendly" takeover attempts, the potential buying company may offer a price well above current market values, new securities, and other inducements to stockholders. The management of the subject company might ask for a better price or try to join up with a third company. (See: Merger, Proxy)
American Depositary Receipt (ADR) – a security issued by a U.S. bank in place of the foreign shares held in trust by that bank, thereby facilitating the trading of foreign shares in U.S. markets.
American Stock Exchange (AMEX) – The second largest stock exchange in the United States, located in the financial district of New York City. (Formerly known as the Curb Exchange from its origin on a Manhattan street.)
Annual Report – The formal financial statement issued yearly by a corporation. The annual report shows assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and earnings - how the company stood at the close of the business year, how it fared profit-wise during the year, as well as other information of interest to share-owners.
Arbitrage – A technique employed to take advantage of differences in price. If, for example, ABC stock can be bought in New York for $10 a share and sold in London at $10.50, an arbitrageur may simultaneously purchase ABC stock here and sell the same amount in London, making a profit of $.50 a share, less expenses. Arbitrage may also involve the purchase of rights to subscribe to a security, or the purchase of a convertible security - and the sale at or about the same time of the security obtainable through exercise of the rights or of the security obtainable through conversion. (See: Convertible, Rights)
Auction Market – The system of trading securities through brokers or agents on an exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange. Buyers compete with other buyers while sellers compete with other sellers for the most advantageous price.
Auditor's Report – Often called the accountant's opinion, it is the statement of the accounting firm's work and its opinion of the corporation's financial statements, especially if they conform to the normal and generally accepted practices of accountancy.
Averaging – (See: Dollar-Cost-Averaging)
Basis Point – One gradation on a 100-point scale representing 1%; used especially in expressing variations in the yields of bonds. Fixed income yields vary often and slightly within one percent and the basis point scale easily expresses these changes in hundredths of 1%. For example, the difference between 12.83% and 12.88% is 5 basis points.
Block – A large holding or transaction of stock – popularly considered to be 10,000 shares or more.
Blue Chip – A company known nationally for the quality and wide acceptance of its products or services, and for its ability to make money and pay dividends.
Blue Sky Laws – A popular name for laws various states have enacted to protect the public against securities frauds. The term is believed to have originated when a judge ruled that a particular stock had about the same value as a patch of blue sky.
Book Value – An accounting term. Book value of a stock is determined from a company's records, by adding all assets then deducting all debts and other liabilities, plus the liquidation price of any preferred issues. The sum arrived at is divided by the number of common shares outstanding and the result is book value per common share. Book value of the assets of a company or a security may have little relationship to market value.
Broker – An agent who handles the public's orders to buy and sell securities, commodities or other property. A commission is charged for this service. (See: Commission Broker, Dealer)
Buy Side – The portion of the securities business in which institutional orders originate.
Capital Gain or Capital Loss – Profit or loss from the sale of a capital asset. The capital gains provisions of the tax law are complicated. You should consult your tax advisor for specific information.
Capitalization – Total amount of the various securities issued by a corporation. Capitalization may include bonds, debentures, preferred and common stock, and surplus. Bonds and debentures are usually carried on the books of the issuing company in terms of their par or face value. Preferred and common shares may be carried in terms of par or stated value. Stated value may be an arbitrary figure decided upon by the director or may represent the amount received by the company from the sale of the securities at the time of issuance. (See: Par)
Cash Flow – Reported net income of a corporation plus amounts charged off for depreciation, depletion, amortization, and extraordinary charges to reserves, which are bookkeeping deductions and not paid out in actual dollars and cents. (See: Amortization, Depreciation)
Certificate – The actual piece of paper that is evidence of ownership of stock in a corporation. Watermarked paper is finely engraved with delicate etchings to discourage forgery.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – Created by Congress in 1974 to regulate exchange trading in futures.
Commission – The broker's basic fee for purchasing or selling securities or property as an agent.
Competitive Trader – A member of the exchange who trades in stocks on the floor for an account in which there is an interest. Also known as a registered trader.
Conglomerate – A corporation that has diversified its operations usually by acquiring enterprises in widely varied industries.
Consolidated Balance Sheet – A balance sheet showing the financial condition of a corporation and its subsidiaries. (See: Balance Sheet)
Consolidated Tape – The ticker tape reporting transactions in NYSE-listed securities that take place on the NYSE or any of the participating regional stock exchanges and other markets. Similarly, transactions in AMEX-listed securities, and certain other securities listed on regional stock exchanges, are reported on a separate tape.
Correspondent – A securities firm, bank, or other financial organization that regularly performs services for another in a place or market to which the other does not have direct access. Securities firms may have correspondents in foreign countries or on exchanges of which they are not members. Correspondents are frequently linked by private wires. Member organizations of the NYSE with offices in New York may also act as correspondents for out-of-town member organizations that do not maintain New York offices.
Current Assets – Those assets of a company that are reasonably expected to be realized in cash, sold or consumed during one year. These include cash, U.S. Government bonds, receivables and money due usually within one year, as well as inventories.
Current Liabilities – Money owed and payable by a company, usually within one year.
Current Return – (See: Yield)
Day Order – An order to buy or sell that, if not executed, expires at the end of trading day on which it was entered.
Debit Balance – In a customer's margin account, that portion of the purchase price of stock, bonds or commodities that is covered by credit extended by the broker to the margin customer. (See: Margin)
Delayed Opening – The postponement of trading of an issue on a stock exchange beyond the normal opening of a day's trading because of market conditions that have been judged by exchange officials to warrant such a delay. Reasons for the delay might be an influx of either buy or sell orders, an imbalance of buyers and sellers, or pending corporate news that requires time for dissemination.
Depletion Accounting – Natural resources, such as metals, oil, gas and timber, that conceivably can be reduced to zero over the years, present a special problem in capital management. Depletion is an accounting practice consisting of charges against earnings based upon the amount of the asset taken out of the total reserves in the period for which accounting is made. A bookkeeping entry, it does not represent any cash outlay nor are any funds earmarked for the purpose.
Depository Trust Company (DTC) – A central securities certificate depository through which members effect security deliveries between each other via computerized bookkeeping entries thereby reducing the physical movement of stock certificates.
Director – Person elected by shareholders to serve on the board of directors. The directors appoint the president, vice presidents, and all other operating officers. Directors decide, among other matters, if and when dividends shall be paid. (See: Proxy)
Discount – The amount by which a preferred stock or bond may sell below its par value. Also used as a verb to mean "takes into account" as the price of the stock has discounted the expected dividend cut. (See: Premium)
Discretionary Account – An account in which the customer gives the broker or someone else discretion to buy and sell securities or commodities, including selection, timing, amount, and price to be paid or received.
Diversification – Spreading investments among different types of securities and various companies in different fields.
Down Tick – (See: Up Tick)
Dow Theory – A theory of market analysis based upon the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and transportation stock price averages. The theory says that the market is in a basic upward trend if one of these averages advances above a previous important high, accompanied or followed by a similar advance in the other. When both averages dip below previous important lows, this is regarded as confirmation of a downward trend. The Dow Jones is one type of market index. (See: NYSE Composite Index)
Equipment Trust Certificate – A type of security, generally issued by a railroad, to pay for new equipment. Title to the equipment, such as a locomotive, is held by a trustee until the notes are paid off. An equipment trust certificate is usually secured by a first claim on the equipment.
Ex-Rights – Without the rights. Corporations raising additional money may do so by offering their stockholders the right to subscribe to new or additional stock, usually at a discount from the prevailing market price. The buyer of a stock selling ex-rights is not entitled to the rights. (See: Ex-Dividend, Rights)
Extra – The short form of "extra dividend." A dividend in the form of stock or cash in addition to the regular or usual dividend the company has been paying.
Face Value –The value of a bond that appears on the face of the bond, unless the value is otherwise specified by the issuing company. Face value is ordinarily the amount the issuing company promises to pay at maturity. Face value is not an indication of market value. Sometimes referred to as par value. (See: Par)
Fiscal Year – A corporation's accounting year. Due to the nature of their particular business, some companies do not use the calendar year for their bookkeeping. A typical example is the department store that finds December 31 too early a date to close its books after the Christmas rush. For that reason many stores wind up their accounting year January 31. Their fiscal year, therefore, runs from February 1 of one year through January 31 of the next. The fiscal year of other companies may run from July 1 through the following June 30. Most companies, though, operate on a calendar year basis.
Fixed Charges – A company's fixed expenses, such as bond interest, which it has agreed to pay whether or not earned, and which are deducted from income before earnings on equity capital are computed.
Flat Income Bond – This term means that the price at which a bond is traded includes consideration for all unpaid accruals of interest. Bonds that are in default of interest or principal are traded flat. Income bonds that pay interest only to the extent earned are usually traded flat. All other bonds are usually dealt in "and interest," which means that the buyer pays to the seller the market price plus interest accrued since the last payment date.
Floor Broker – A member of the stock exchange who executes orders on the floor of the Exchange to buy or sell any listed securities. (See: Commission Broker)
– An investment technique. One formula calls for the shifting of funds from common shares to preferred shares or bonds as a selected market indicator rises above a certain predetermined point - and the return of funds to common share investments as the market average declines. (See: Dollar-Cost-Averaging)
Free and Open Market – A market in which supply and demand are freely expressed in terms of price. Contrasts with a controlled market in which supply, demand and price may all be regulated.
Funded Debt – Usually interest-bearing bonds or debentures of a company. Could include long-term bank loans. Does not include short-term loans, preferred or common stock.
Gilt-Edged – High-grade bond issued by a company that has demonstrated its ability to earn a comfortable profit over a period of years and pay its bondholders their interest without interruption.
Give-Up – A term with many different meanings. For one, a member of the exchange on the floor may act for a second member by executing an order for him or her with a third member. The first member tells the third member that he or she is acting on behalf of the second member and "gives up" the second member's name rather than his or her own.
Gold Fix – The setting of the price of gold by dealers (especially in a twice-daily London meeting at the central bank); the fix is the fundamental worldwide price for setting prices of gold bullion and gold-related contracts and products.
Good Delivery – Certain basic qualifications must be met before a security sold on the Exchange may be delivered. The security must be in proper form to comply with the contract of sale and to transfer title to the purchaser.
Government Bonds – Obligations of the U.S. Government, regarded as the highest grade securities issues.
Growth Stock – Stock of a company with a record of growth in earnings at a relatively rapid rate.
Holding Company – A corporation that owns the securities of another, in most cases with voting control.
Hypothecation – The pledging of securities as collateral - for example, to secure the debit balance in a margin account.
Indenture – A written agreement under which bonds and debentures are issued, setting forth maturity date, interest rate and other terms.
Independent Broker – Member on the floor of the NYSE who executes orders for other brokers having more business at that time than they can handle themselves, or for firms who do not have their exchange member on the floor.
Initial Public Offering – (See: Primary Distribution)
Institutional Investor – An organization whose primary purpose is to invest its own assets or those held in trust by it for others. Includes pension funds, investment companies, insurance companies, universities and banks.
Interest – Payments borrowers pay lenders for the use of their money. A corporation pays interest on its bonds to its bondholders. (See: Bond, Dividend)
Intermarket Trading System (ITS) – An electronic communications network now linking the trading floor of seven registered exchanges and FINRA to foster competition among them in stocks listed on either the NYSE or AMEX and one or more regional exchanges. Through ITS, any broker or market maker on the floor of any participating market can reach out to other participants for an execution whenever the nationwide quote shows a better price is available.
Interrogation Device – A computer terminal that provides market information - last sale price, quotes, volume, etc. - on a screen or paper tape.
Investment Counsel – One whose principal business consists of acting as investment advisor and rendering investment supervisory services.
Issue – Any of a company's securities, or the act of distributing such securities.
Leverage – The effect on a company when the company has bonds, preferred stock, or both outstanding. Example: If the earnings of a company with 1,000,000 common shares increases from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000, earnings per share would go up from $1 to $1.50, or an increase of 50%. But if earnings of a company that had to pay $500,000 in bond interest increased that much, earnings per common share would jump from $.50 to $1 a share, or 100%.
Liquidation – The process of converting securities or other property into cash. The dissolution of a company, with cash remaining after sale of its assets and payment of all indebtedness being distributed to the shareholders.
Liquidity – The ability of the market in a particular security to absorb a reasonable amount of buying or selling at reasonable price changes. Liquidity is one of the most important characteristics of a good market.
Listed Stock – The stock of a company that is traded on a securities exchange.
Load – The portion of the offering price of shares of open-end investment companies in excess of the value of the underlying assets. Covers sales commissions and all other costs of distribution. The load is usually incurred only on purchase, there being, in most cases, no charge when the shares are sold (redeemed). (See: Investment Company)
Locked In – Investors are said to be locked in when they have profit on a security they own but do not sell because their profit would immediately become subject to the capital gains tax.
Long – Signifies ownership of securities. "I am long 100 U.S. steel" means the speaker owns 100 shares. (See: Short Sale)
Manipulation – An illegal operation. Buying or selling a security for the purpose of creating false or misleading appearance of active trading or for the purpose of raising or depressing the price to induce purchase or sale by others.
Margin Call – A demand upon a customer to put up money or securities with the broker. The call is made when a purchase is made; also if a customer's account declines below a minimum standard set by the exchange or by the firm.
Market Order – An order to buy or sell a stated amount of a security at the most advantageous price obtainable after the order is represented in the trading crowd. (See: Good 'til Canceled Order,Limit Order, Stop Order)
Market Price – The last reported price at which the stock or bond sold, or the current quote. (See: Quote)
Maturity – The date on which a loan or bond comes due and is to be paid off.
Member Corporation – A securities brokerage firm, organized as a corporation, with at least one member of the New York Stock Exchange who is an officer or employee of the corporation.
Member Firm – A securities brokerage firm organized as a partnership and having at least one general partner or employee who is a member of the New York Stock Exchange.
Member Organization – The term includes New York Stock Exchange member firms and member corporations.
Money Market Fund – A mutual fund whose investments are in high-yield money market instruments such as federal securities, CDs and commercial paper. Its intent is to make such instruments, normally purchased in large denominations by institutions, available indirectly to individuals. (See: Certificate of Deposit, Commercial Paper)
Mortgage Bond – A bond secured by a mortgage on a property. The value of the property may or may not equal the value of the bonds issued against it. (See: Bond, Debenture)
Municipal Bond – A bond issued by a state or a political subdivision, such as county, city, town or village. The term also designates bonds issued by state agencies and authorities. In general, interest paid on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes and state and local taxes within the state of issue. However, interest may be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT).
Mutual Fund – (See: Investment Company)
NASD – Please refer to the details listed above for FINRA.
Negotiable – Refers to a security, the title to which is transferable by delivery.
Net Asset Value – Usually used in connection with investment companies to mean net asset value per share. An investment company computes its assets daily, or even twice daily, by totaling the market value of all securities owned. All liabilities are deducted, and the balance is divided by the number of shares outstanding. The resulting figure is the net asset value per share. (See: Assets, Investment Company)
New Issue – A stock or bond sold by a corporation for the first time. Proceeds may be used to retire outstanding securities of the company, for new plant or equipment, for additional working capital, or to acquire a public ownership interest in the company for private owners.
New York Futures Exchange (NYFE) – A subsidiary of the New York Stock Exchange devoted to the trading of futures products.
Noncumulative – A type of preferred stock on which unpaid dividends do not accrue. Omitted dividends are, as a rule, gone forever. (See: Cumulative Preferred)
Off-Board – This term may refer to transactions over-the-counter in unlisted securities or to transactions of listed shares that are not executed on a national securities exchange.
Offer – The price at which a person is ready to sell. Opposed to bid, the price at which one is ready to buy. (See: Bid and Asked)
Open-End Investment Company – (See: Investment Company)
Open Order – (See: Good 'til Canceled Order)
Overbought – An opinion as to price levels. May refer to a security that has had a sharp rise or to the market as a whole after a period of vigorous buying which, it may be argued, has left prices "too high."
Oversold – The reverse of overbought. A single security or a market which, it is believed, has declined to an unreasonable level.
Over-the-Counter – A market for securities made up of securities dealers who may or may not be members of a securities exchange. The over-the-counter market is conducted over the telephone and deals mainly with stocks of companies without sufficient shares, stockholders or earnings to warrant listing on an exchange. Over-the-counter dealers may act either as principals or as brokers for customers. The over-the-counter market is the principal market for bonds of all types. (See: FINRA, Nasdaq)
Passed Dividend – Omission of a regular or scheduled dividend.
Penny Stocks – Low-priced issues, often highly speculative, selling at less than $1 a share. Frequently used as a term of disparagement, although some penny stocks have developed into investment-caliber issues.
Point – In the case of shares of stock, a point means $1. If ABC shares rise 3 points, each share has risen $3. In the case of bonds a point means $10, since a bond is quoted as a percentage of $1,000. A bond that rises 3 points gains 3% in $1,000, or $30 in value. An advance from 87 to 90 would mean an advance in dollar value from $870 to $900. In the case of market averages, the word point means merely that and no more. If, for example, the NYSE Composite Index rises from 90.25 to 91.25, it has risen a point. A point in this index, however, is not equivalent to $1. (See: Index)
Portfolio – Holdings of securities by an individual or institution. A portfolio may contain bonds, preferred stocks, common stocks and other securities.
Price-to-Earnings Ratio – A popular way to compare stocks selling at various price levels. The P/E ratio is the price of a share of stock divided by earnings per share for a 12-month period. For example, a stock selling for $50 a share and earning $5 a share is said to be selling at a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.
Prime Rate – The lowest interest rate charged by commercial banks to their most credit-worthy customers; other interest rates, such as personal, automobile, commercial and financing loans are often pegged to the prime.
Principal – The person for whom a broker executes an order, or dealers buying or selling for their own accounts. The term "principal" may also refer to a person's capital or to the face amount of a bond.
Proxy Statement – Information given to stockholders in conjunction with the solicitation of proxies.
Rally – A brisk rise following a decline in the general price level of the market, or in an individual stock.
Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) – An organization similar to an investment company in some respects but concentrating its holdings in real estate investments. The yield is generally liberal since REITs are required to distribute as much as 90% of their income. (See: Investment Company)
Record Date – The date on which you must be registered as a shareholder of a company in order to receive a declared dividend or, among other things, to vote on company affairs. (See: Ex-Dividend, Transfer)
Redemption Price – The price at which a bond may be redeemed before maturity, at the option of the issuing company. Redemption value also applies to the price the company must pay to call in certain types of preferred stock. (See: Callable)
Red Herring – A registration statement filed with but not yet approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). (See: Prospectus)
Refinancing – Same as refunding. New securities are sold by a company and the money is used to retire existing securities. The object may be to save interest costs, extend the maturity of the loan, or both.
Registered Competitive Market Maker – Members of the New York Stock Exchange who trade on the floor for their own or their firm's account and who have an obligation, when called upon by an exchange official, to narrow a quote or improve the depth of an existing quote by their own bid or offer.
Registered Representative – The man or woman who serves the investor customers of a broker/dealer. In a New York Stock Exchange-member organization, a registered representative must meet the requirements of the exchange as to background and knowledge of the securities business. Also known as a financial advisor or customer's broker.
Registration – Before an initial public offering may be made of new securities by a company, the securities must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933. A registration statement is filed with the SEC by the issuer. It must disclose pertinent information relating to the company's operations, securities, management and purpose of the public offering. Before a security may be admitted to dealings on a national securities exchange, it must be registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The application for registration must be filed with the exchange and the SEC by the company issuing the securities.
Regulation T – The federal regulation governing the amount of credit that may be advanced by brokers and dealers to customers for the purchase of securities. (See: Margin)
Regulation U – The federal regulation governing the amount of credit that may be advanced by banks to customers for the purchase of listed stocks. (See: Margin)
Scale Order – An order to buy (or sell) a security, that specifies the total amount to be bought (or sold) at specified price variations.
Scripophily – A term coined in the mid-1970s to describe the hobby of collecting antique bonds, stocks and other financial instruments. Values are affected by beauty of the certificate and the issuer's role in world finance and economic development.
Seat – A traditional figure of speech for a membership on an exchange.
SEC – The Securities and Exchange Commission, established by Congress to help protect investors. The SEC administers the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Securities Act Amendments of 1975, the Trust Indenture Act, the Investment Company Act, the Investment Advisers Act and the Public Utility Holding Company Act.
Secondary Distribution – Also known as secondary offering. The redistribution of a block of stock some time after it has been sold by the issuing company. The sale is handled off the NYSE by a securities firm or group of firms and the shares are usually offered at a fixed price related to the current market price of the stock. Usually the block is a large one, such as might be involved in the settlement of an estate. The security may be listed or unlisted. (See: Investment Banker, Primary Distribution)
Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC) – An independent organization established by the New York and American Stock Exchanges as a jointly owned subsidiary to provide automation, data processing, clearing and communications services.
Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) – Provides funds for use, if necessary, to protect customers' cash and securities that may be on deposit with a SIPC member firm in the event the firm fails and is liquidated under the provisions of the SIPC Act. SIPC is not a government agency. It is a non-profit membership corporation created, however, by an act of Congress.
Seller's Option – A special transaction on the NYSE that gives the seller the right to deliver the stock or bond at any time within a specified period, ranging from not less than two business days to not more than 60 days.
Sell Side – The portion of the securities business in which orders are transacted. The sell side includes retail brokers, institutional brokers and traders, and research departments. If an institutional portfolio manager changes jobs and becomes a registered representative, he or she has moved from the buy side to the sell side.
Serial Bond – An issue that matures in part at periodic stated intervals.
Settlement – Conclusion of a securities transaction when a customer pays a broker/dealer for securities purchased or delivers securities sold and receives from the broker the proceeds of a sale. (See: Regular Way Delivery, Cash Sale)
Short Covering – Buying stock to return stock previously borrowed to make delivery on a short sale.
Sinking Fund – Money regularly set aside by a company to redeem its bonds, debentures or preferred stock from time to time as specified in the indenture or charter.
Speculation – The employment of funds by a speculator. Safety of principal is a secondary factor. (See: Investment)
Spin Off – The separation of a subsidiary or division of a corporation from its parent company by issuing shares in a new corporate entity. Share-owners in the parent company receive shares in the new company in proportion to their original holding and the total value remains approximately the same.
Split – The division of the outstanding shares of a corporation into a larger number of shares. A 3-for-1 split by a company with 1 million shares outstanding results in 3 million shares outstanding. Each holder of 100 shares before the 3-for-1 split would have 300 shares, although the proportionate equity in the company would remain the same; 100 parts of 1 million are the equivalent of 300 parts of 3 million. Ordinarily, splits must be voted by directors and approved by shareholders. (See: Stock Dividend)
Stock – (See: Capital Stock, Common Stock, Preferred Stock)
Stock Exchange – An organized marketplace for securities featured by the centralization of supply and demand for the transaction of orders by member brokers for institutional and individual investors. (See: New York Stock Exchange)
Stockholder of Record – A stockholder whose name is registered on the books of the issuing corporation. (See: Registrar)
Stock Index Futures – Futures contracts based on market indexes, e.g. NYSE Composite Index Futures Contracts.
Stock Ticker Symbols – Every corporation whose transactions are reported on the NYSE or AMEX ticker or on Nasdaq has been given a unique identification symbol of up to four letters. These symbols abbreviate the complete corporate name and facilitate trading and ticker reporting. Some of the most famous symbols are: T (American Telephone & Telegraph), XON (Exxon), GM (General Motors), IBM (International Business Machines), S (Sears Roebuck) and XRX (Xerox).
Stop Limit Order – A stop order that becomes a limit order after the specified stop price has been reached. (See: Limit Order, Stop Order)
Swapping – Selling one security and buying a similar one almost at the same time to take a loss, usually for tax purposes.
Tender Offer – A public offer to buy shares from existing stockholders of one public corporation by another public corporation under specified terms good for a certain time period. Stockholders are asked to "tender" (surrender) their holdings for stated value, usually at a premium above current market price, subject to the tendering of a minimum and maximum number of shares.
Third Market – Trading of stock exchange-listed securities in the over-the-counter market by non-exchange member brokers.
Ticker – A telegraphic system that continuously provides the last sale prices and volume of securities transactions on exchanges. Information is either printed or displayed on a moving tape after each trade.
Trader – Individuals who buy and sell for their own accounts for short-term profit. Also, an employee of a broker/dealer or financial institution who specializes in handling purchases and sales of securities for the firm and/or its clients. (See: Speculator)
Trading Floor – (See: Floor)
Trading Post – The structure on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at which stocks or options are bought and sold.
Transfer Agent – A transfer agent keeps a record of the name of each registered share-owner, his or her address, the number of shares owned, and sees that certificates presented for transfer are properly canceled and new certificates issued in the name of the new owner. (See: Registrar)
Treasury Stock – Stock issued by a company but later reacquired. It may be held in the company's treasury indefinitely, reissued to the public or retired. Treasury stock receives no dividends and has no vote while held by the company.
Turnover Rate – The volume of shares traded in a year as a percentage of total shares listed on an exchange, outstanding for an individual issue or held in an institutional portfolio.
Underwriter – (See: Investment Banker)
Unlisted Stock – A security not listed on a stock exchange. (See: Over-the-Counter)
Variable Annuity – A life insurance policy where the annuity premium (a set amount of dollars) is immediately turned into units of a portfolio of stocks. Upon retirement, the policyholder is paid according to accumulated units, the dollar value of which varies according to the performance of the stock portfolio. Its objective is to preserve, through stock investment, the purchasing value of the annuity which otherwise is subject to erosion through inflation.
Volume – The number of shares or contracts traded in a security or an entire market during a given period. Volume is usually considered on a daily basis and a daily average is computed for longer periods.
Voting Right – Common stockholders' right to vote their stock in affairs of a company. Preferred stock usually has the right to vote when preferred dividends are in default for a specified period. The right to vote may be delegated by the stockholder to another person. (See: Cumulative Voting, Proxy)
When Issued – A short form of "when, as and if issued." The term indicates a conditional transaction in a security authorized for issuance but not as yet actually issued. All "when issued" transactions are on an "if" basis, to be settled if and when the actual security is issued and the exchange or National Association of Securities Dealers rules the transactions are to be settled.
Working Control – Theoretically, ownership of 51% of a company's voting stock is necessary to exercise control. In practice - and this is particularly true in the case of a large corporation - effective control sometimes can be exerted through ownership, individually or by a group acting in concert, of less than 50%.
Yield to Maturity – The yield of a bond to maturity takes into account the price discount from or premium over the face amount. It is greater than the current yield when the bond is selling at a discount and less than the current yield when the bond is selling at a premium.
Zero Coupon Bond – A bond that pays no interest but is priced, at issue, at a discount from its redemption price.