Investments

Nonvoting Stock: Understanding Corporate Securities Without Voting Rights
Nonvoting stock represents corporate securities that do not provide the holder with voting privileges on corporate resolutions or the election of directors, often used in certain financial maneuvers such as takeover defenses.
Obligation Bond: Mortgage Bond with Face Value Greater than Underlying Property Value
An obligation bond is a type of mortgage bond in which the face value is greater than the value of the underlying property, compensating the lender for costs exceeding the mortgage value.
Offset: Definition and Applications
A comprehensive definition and detailed explanation of 'Offset' as used in Accounting, Banking, Printing, and Securities.
Online Trading: The Buying and Selling of Securities Through the Internet
Comprehensive overview of online trading which involves buying and selling stocks or other securities through the Internet without a traditional broker.
Open-End Investment Company: A Comprehensive Guide
An in-depth look into open-end investment companies, also known as mutual funds, which continually accept new investments and allow withdrawals based on the current net asset value (NAV).
Order: Commercial, Investment, Legal, and Trade Contexts
A comprehensive overview of the term 'Order' in various contexts including commercial law, investments, legal frameworks, and trade.
Ordinary Annuity: Series of Equal Payments
An ordinary annuity involves a series of equal or nearly equal payments made at the end of each equally spaced period.
Ordinary Interest: Simple Interest Based on a 360-Day Year
Comprehensive overview of Ordinary Interest, including definition, differences with exact interest, calculations, and historical context.
Original Equity: Definition and Context
Original Equity refers to the initial cash investment made by the underlying owner, distinctly separate from sweat equity and capital calls.
Original Maturity: Bond Maturity Intervals Explained
Understanding the concept of Original Maturity in the context of bonds, including its importance, application, and distinction from current maturity.
Out of the Money Option: Understanding the Basics
An in-depth explanation of Out of the Money (OTM) options, including definitions, examples, and important considerations in options trading.
Paper Gold: A Versatile Financial Instrument
Paper gold certificates are financial instruments that represent ownership of a certain amount of gold. These certificates can be converted into physical gold at the issuer's office, whether private or governmental. Often used in exchanges for convenience.
Par Bond: A Comprehensive Overview
A detailed look into Par Bonds, their characteristics, implications, and distinctions from other types of bonds.
Participation Certificate: Representation of Interest in Funds or Instruments
A Participation Certificate is a financial instrument representing an interest in a pool of funds or other instruments such as a mortgage pool. It allows investors to share in the benefits of the pooled resources.
Pass-Through Certificate: Income-Earning Investment
A pass-through certificate is an investment that receives income from another form, often a pool of mortgages, with income passed through to the certificate holders.
Pass-Through Security: Mechanism and Application
An in-depth look at pass-through securities, focusing on how they function, their types, special considerations, examples, history, and applicability.
Passive Investor: A Comprehensive Guide
An in-depth guide to understanding what a Passive Investor is, including types, examples, and related terms such as Limited Partner and Stockholder.
Payroll Savings Plan: An Investment Strategy for Employees
An arrangement between employer and employee where a specified amount of money is deducted from the employee's pay and invested in stocks, bonds, or other investments.
Perpetuity: Never Ending Financial Concept
A perpetuity is a financial instrument that pays a never-ending series of periodic payments. It is commonly used in the contexts of finance, economics, and legal frameworks such as the rule against perpetuities.
Portfolio Income: A Comprehensive Guide
An in-depth explanation of Portfolio Income in taxation, including interest, dividends, royalties, and gains and losses from investments, and how it compares to passive and active income.
Present Value (Worth) of 1: Importance in Finance
The present value (worth) of 1 represents the current value of a future amount based on a given compound interest rate. It is a critical concept in finance for understanding the value of cash flows over time.
Present Value of Annuity: Today's Value of a Level Stream of Income
The present value of an annuity represents today's worth of a level stream of income to be received each period for a finite number of periods. It is calculated using a specific formula involving the interest rate and number of periods.
Presold Issue: A Comprehensive Overview
In-depth analysis of a presold issue, specifically focusing on municipal bonds or government bonds completely sold out before public announcement of price or yield.
Pretax Rate of Return: Yield or Capital Gain Before Taxes
The pretax rate of return measures the yield or capital gain on a particular security before accounting for an individual's tax situation. It helps in evaluating investment performance without tax considerations.
Price-Earnings (P/E) Ratio: Financial Metric for Valuation
The Price-Earnings (P/E) Ratio is a crucial financial metric used to evaluate the valuation of a company's stock by measuring its current share price relative to its per-share earnings.
Primary Earnings per (Common) Share: Comprehensive Analysis
An in-depth exploration of Primary Earnings Per (Common) Share, including its calculation, significance, and associated considerations.
Private Issue: Understanding Private Placement
A comprehensive look at private issues, commonly referred to as private placements, detailing their structure, benefits, types, and regulatory considerations.
Private Offering or Private Placement: Investment Offered to a Small Group of Investors
An investment or business opportunity offered for sale to a select group of investors, typically exempt from full registration requirements by the SEC and state securities laws.
Proceeds: Understanding the Financial Term
An in-depth exploration of proceeds, focusing on funds received by borrowers and sellers after deductions.
Prudent-Man Rule: Investment Standard for Fiduciaries
The Prudent-Man Rule is a standard adopted by some U.S. states to guide fiduciaries responsible for investing the money of others. It mandates acting with discretion, intelligence, and caution, aiming to seek reasonable income and preserve capital.
Public Ownership: Government and Investment Aspects
Public Ownership entails government ownership and operation of productive facilities and the portion of a corporation's stock traded in the open market. This entry covers its implications, examples, historical context, and impact.
Rally: Marked Rise in Price
A rally refers to a significant increase in the price of a security, commodity future, or market after a period of decline or flat movement.
Rate of Return on Equity: A Measure of Investment Profitability
A comprehensive analysis of the Rate of Return on Equity (ROE), explaining its significance, calculation, and application in evaluating profitability.
Real Interest Rate: Understanding the Actual Cost of Borrowing
The real interest rate is the current interest rate adjusted for inflation, providing insight into the actual cost of borrowing or the real return on investment. Learn how to calculate it and understand its economic impact.
Redeemable Bond: Understanding Callable Bonds
Redeemable bonds, also referred to as callable bonds, provide issuers with the flexibility to manage debt efficiently by repaying the bond before its maturity.
Redemption Fee: A Charge to Repurchase or Release an Asset
A comprehensive guide to understanding redemption fees, their context in finance, and their application in various investment scenarios.
Redemption Price: Definition and Overview
An in-depth exploration of the Redemption Price in financial instruments, its significance, calculation, and implications for investors.
Registered Bond: Understanding Its Structure and Function
A Registered Bond is a type of bond recorded in the name of the holder on the books of the issuer or the issuer's registrar and can be transferred to another owner only when endorsed by the registered owner. Contrast this with Coupon Bonds to understand their differences and functions.
Retirement Fund: Investment Monies Reserved for Retiring Employees
Detailed overview of Retirement Funds, regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, and their impact on the stock market.
Return of Capital: Distribution Not Paid Out of Earnings
Return of Capital refers to a distribution from a corporation that is not paid out of earnings and profits. It reduces the shareholder's investment basis in the stock.
Return on Investment (ROI): Measurement of Financial Efficiency
Return on Investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment or compare the efficiency of several different investments.
Revenue Bond: A Comprehensive Guide
Revenue bonds are municipal bonds that are repaid from the revenue generated by the specific project or service they finance, such as toll bridges, hospitals, and stadiums.
Risk-Free Rate: The Interest Rate on the Safest Investments
The Risk-Free Rate is the interest rate on the safest investments, typically federal government obligations, and serves as a benchmark for evaluating other investment opportunities.
S&P 500: United States Stock Market Index
A comprehensive overview of the S&P 500, a widely-used stock market index in the United States representing 500 of the largest companies.
Safe Haven Currency: Politically Secure Investments
An in-depth overview of politically secure currencies such as the American dollar, the euro, and gold, commonly referred to as safe havens.
Salary Reduction Plan: Tax-Advantaged Employee Savings
A Salary Reduction Plan allows employees to have a certain percentage of their gross salary withheld and invested in options like stocks, bonds, or money market funds.
Secondary Offering: Distribution of Existing Shares
A Secondary Offering refers to the sale of shares that have already been issued to the public and are now being sold by current shareholders.
Security Rating: Evaluation of Credit and Investment Risk
Security Rating refers to the evaluation of credit and investment risk of a securities issue by commercial rating agencies, such as Moody's, Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor's.
Self-Directed IRA: A Flexible Retirement Account
A Self-Directed IRA (Individual Retirement Account) allows investors to actively manage and diversify their retirement holdings beyond traditional stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.
Selling Short Against the Box: A Short Selling Strategy
An extensive guide to the financial strategy of selling short against the box, including definitions, types, examples, historical context, and related terms.
SEP-IRA: Simplified Employee Pension Plan
A SEP-IRA (Simplified Employee Pension Plan) is a retirement savings plan that offers tax advantages for business owners and self-employed individuals.
Shares of Beneficial Interest: Comprehensive Guide
In-depth exploration of Shares of Beneficial Interest, covering their definition, types, applications, and related concepts.
Short Bond: Defined and Explained
A comprehensive explanation of short bonds, their types, financial implications, and applications in finance.
Short Position: Definition and Explanation
A comprehensive understanding of Short Position in commodities and securities, its implications, historical context, and practical applications.
Short-term Capital Gain (Loss): Profit or Loss From Short-Term Investments
Short-term capital gain (loss) for tax purposes, profit (loss) realized from the sale of securities or other capital assets not held long enough for a long-term capital gain (loss).
Simple Rate of Return: Basic Investment Measure
An entry explaining the Simple Rate of Return, a measure of investment performance that divides income and capital gains by the initial capital invested, excluding compounding effects.
Simple Yield: Basic Interest Return Calculation
Simple Yield measures the interest return on a bond relative to its current market price, offering a straightforward calculation for bondholders and debtors.
Small-Cap: Small Capitalization Stocks and Mutual Funds
An overview of small-cap stocks, including their characteristics, market capitalization, and volatility compared to larger companies.
Social Overhead Capital: Indirectly Measurable Economic Investments
An exploration of Social Overhead Capital, investments in areas such as education and health care, whose productivity or effectiveness cannot be directly measured.
Soft Dollars: Understanding Indirect Investment Costs
Soft dollars refer to indirect payments for brokerage services, allowing investors to use commission dollars for research and related services rather than direct payments.
Soft Money: Tax Deductible Contributions in Investments and Development Costs
Soft Money refers to tax-deductible contributions in investments and development, as well as non-construction costs such as interest during construction, architect's fees, and legal fees.
Speculation: Purchase of Property or Security for Quick Profit
Detailed explanation of speculation in financial markets, including types, examples, comparisons with gambling and investment, and historical context.
SPIDER: See [SPDR]
Refer to SPDR for more information about Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts (SPDRs), a type of exchange-traded fund.
Stock Certificate: Evidence of Corporate Ownership
A stock certificate is a formal instrument evidencing a share in the ownership of a corporation. This document represents the shareholder's equity stake in the company.
Stock Option: Right to Purchase or Sell a Stock
Understand the intricacies of stock options, a key financial instrument offering opportunities for investment, speculation, and employee compensation.
Stock Rights: Understanding the Basics of Subscription Rights or Warrants
Comprehensive explanation of stock rights, also known as subscription rights or warrants, covering their types, uses, and examples in the context of stock markets and investments.
Stock-Transfer Agent: Responsible for Managing Stock Transfers
A Stock-Transfer Agent specializes in managing and executing the transfer of stock ownership and maintaining comprehensive records of shareholders.
Stockholder: Definition and Detailed Overview
An in-depth explanation of stockholders, their roles, types, historical context, and applicability in the corporate world.
Straight Debt: Fixed Obligation Debt Instrument
Straight Debt refers to a debt instrument with a fixed repayment schedule, fixed interest rate, and no convertibility features.
STRIPS Bonds: Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
STRIPS Bonds, also known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities, are pre-stripped zero coupon bonds that are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury. This entry provides an in-depth look at STRIPS Bonds, their characteristics, and applications.
Subject to Mortgage: Condition of Sale of Real Estate
A comprehensive analysis of the 'Subject to Mortgage' condition of sale in real estate transactions, where the purchaser acquires a property with a pre-existing mortgage without becoming personally liable.
Subscription Privilege: Shareholder Rights
An in-depth look at the subscription privilege, which grants existing shareholders the right to purchase additional shares of a new stock issue before it is available to the public.
Switching: Moving Assets from One Mutual Fund to Another
Switching refers to the process of moving assets from one mutual fund to another. This can occur either within the same fund family or between different fund families.
Tax Shelter: Historical Definition and Modern Regulations
An in-depth look at the definition of tax shelters prior to October 23, 2004, according to the IRS, and the modern regulatory framework post-October 22, 2004.
Tax-Deferred: Investment With Postponed Taxation
Tax-Deferred refers to an investment whose accumulated earnings are free from taxation until the investor takes possession of the assets.
Tenancy In Common (TIC): Real Estate Co-Ownership Structure
A comprehensive guide to Tenancy In Common (TIC) ownership, its mechanisms, benefits, and considerations, especially in relation to Section 1031 tax-free exchanges.
Term Bond: Bonds that Mature at the Same Date
A Term Bond is a bond from a single issue that matures on the same date. These bonds may have a call feature that allows the issuer to redeem them before the maturity date.
Ticker Tape: Financial Information Transmission
Ticker tape historically refers to the paper strip on which stock price quotes were transmitted by telegraph machines. Nowadays, the term is often used to describe the continuous stream of price quotes seen on financial news channels.
Time Value of Money: Understanding Its Core Concepts and Applications
The concept that money available now is worth more than the same amount in the future due to its potential earning capacity. Integral to financial computations involving imputed interest and original issue discount.
Trader: A Comprehensive Overview
A detailed examination of the term 'Trader' with insights into its general and investment-specific meanings, historical context, types, and related terms.

Finance Dictionary Pro

Our mission is to empower you with the tools and knowledge you need to make informed decisions, understand intricate financial concepts, and stay ahead in an ever-evolving market.