Contributed by: Nicholas Boguth
Earlier in the Investor Basics series, we went over the basics of bonds. Now we’re going to switch gears to the equity side of the investment universe, and gain a better understanding of the basics of stocks.
What is a stock?
A stock is a claim on a company’s assets, or in other words, a share in ownership. If you own a stock, then you own a piece of the company.
The major difference between stocks and bonds is that bonds have a contractual agreement to pay interest until the bond retires, while owners of stocks have a claim to assets so they hope to make money on capital or price appreciation and/or dividend income. Another major difference between stocks and bonds is that owners of stocks do not get paid in the event of a company’s bankruptcy until after all the bond holders are paid. For these reasons, stocks are typically considered “more volatile” investments.
What are the different types of stock?
There are two main types of stocks – common and preferred.
When hearing people talk about stocks in everyday conversation, it is usually safe to assume that they are talking about common stock. Common stocks are much more prevalent in the market. The major difference in characteristics of common stocks and preferred stocks are – 1. Common stocks do not have a fixed dividend, while preferred stocks do, and 2. Common stocks allow the investor to vote on corporate matters such as who makes up the board of directors, while preferred stocks do not.
Voting rights depend on the number of shares that you own. If you own 1000 shares, you have 1000 votes to cast. Most companies allow votes to be cast by proxy, so the individual investor does not have to be present at things like annual meetings in order to cast a vote. Proxy votes can typically be sent in by mail, or nowadays it is common that you will be alerted via email that you are able to vote on a company’s policy and you may cast it quickly online.
Preferred stocks may not allow the investor to vote on policies, but they do have a fixed dividend that is typically higher than the dividend of a common stock, and in the event of liquidation will be paid before common shareholders (but after bond holders). You may note that a fixed dividend sounds a lot like the fixed interest payment of a bond. This is true, but there is no contractual obligation to pay the dividend on stocks. These similarities typically make preferred shares act like something in between a stock and a bond – something that does not participate in the price movement of a company as much as a common stock, but receives a fixed dividend similar to the interest payment of a bond.
Nicholas Boguth is an Investment Research Associate at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and an Investment Representative with Raymond James Financial Services.
This information does not purport to be a complete description of the securities referred to in this material, it is not intended as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security referred to herein. Investments mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Investing in common stocks always involves risk, including the possibility of losing one's entire investment. Dividends are subject to change and are not guaranteed, dividends must be authorized by a company's board of directors.