Investment Stocks
Description
This article is from the What Every Investor Should Know.
Investment Stocks
The type of equity securities with which most people are familiar is stock. When investors buy stock, they become owners of a "share" of a company's assets. If a company is successful, the price that investors are willing to pay for its stock will often go up--shareholders who bought stock at a lower price then stand to make a profit. If a company does not do well, however, its stock may decrease in value and shareholders can lose money. Stock prices are also subject to both general economic and industry-specific market factors. Many profitable companies distribute part of their earnings to their shareholders in the form of "dividend" payments, usually on a quarterly basis. As owners, shareholders generally have the right to vote on electing the board of directors and on certain other matters of particular significance to the company. Under the federal securities laws, most companies must send to shareholders a proxy statement providing information on the business experience and compensation of nominees to the board of directors and on any other matter submitted for shareholder vote. This information is required so that shareholders can make an informed decision on whether to elect the nominees or on how to vote on matters submitted for their consideration.
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