Preferred Stock

Related to Preferred Stock: Convertible preferred stock

Preferred Stock

Stock shares that have preferential rights to dividends or to amounts distributable on liquidation, or to both, ahead of common shareholders.

Preferred stock is given preference over common stock. Holders of preferred stock receive dividends at a fixed annual rate. The earnings of a corporation are applied to this payment before common stockholders receive dividends. If corporate earnings are insufficient for the fixed annual dividend, the preferred stock will absorb the total amount of earnings, and the common stockholders will be precluded from receiving a dividend. When corporate income exceeds the amount that is needed to pay preferred stockholders, the remainder is generally paid to common stockholders. In special situations, the remainder may be distributed pro rata to both classes of stock, in which case the preferred stock is said to "participate" with the common stock.

Preferred stock can be cumulative or noncumulative. If it is cumulative and if the fixed dividend remains unpaid, it becomes a debit upon the surplus earnings of succeeding years. Accumulated dividends must be paid in full before common stockholders can receive dividends. When preferred stock is noncumulative, its preference is extinguished by the failure of the corporation to have sufficient earnings to pay the fixed dividend in a given year.

preferred stock

n. a class of shares of stock in a corporation which gives the holders priority in payment of dividends (and distribution of assets in case of dissolution of the corporation) over owners of "common" stock at a fixed rate. While the assurance of first chance at profits is a psychological and real benefit, preferred stock shareholders do not participate in higher dividends if the corporation makes large profits, and usually cannot vote for directors. (See: corporation, stock, common stock)

preferred stock

Preferred stock

A security that shows ownership in a corporation and gives the holder a claim, prior to the claim of common stockholders, on earnings and also generally on assets in the event of liquidation. Most preferred stock pays a fixed dividend that is paid prior to the common stock dividend, stated in a dollar amount or as a percentage of par value. This stock does not usually carry voting rights. Preferred stock has characteristics of both common stock and debt.

Preferred Stock

Stock in a publicly-traded company without voting rights, but otherwise with more rights than common shares. Preferred stocks receive dividends before common shares and sometimes have guaranteed dividends, while common shares only receive the leftovers. Preferred stocks also have a prior claim on capital in the event of liquidation; if the company is liquidated, all preferred shareholders must be paid off before a single common shareholder. Some preferred stocks are convertible, which means they can be changed into common shares at a certain ratio so that even preferred shareholders without voting rights have the possibility of gaining them. Preferred stocks tend not to appreciate as fast as common stocks.

preferred stock

A security that shows ownership in a corporation and that gives the holder a claim prior to the claim of common stockholders on earnings and also generally on assets in the event of liquidation. Most preferred stock issues pay a fixed dividend set at the time of issuance, stated in a dollar amount or as a percentage of par value. Because no maturity date is stipulated, these securities are priced on dividend yield and trade much like long-term corporate bonds. As a general rule, preferred stock has limited appeal for individual investors. See also auction-rate preferred stock, callable preferred stock, cumulative, floating-rate preferred stock, Monthly Income Preferred Securities, new money preferred, participating, preferred dividend coverage, prior preferred, remarketed preferred stock, second preferred.

Preferred stock.

Some corporations issue preferred as well as common stock.

Preferred stock can be an attractive investment because it typically pays a fixed dividend on a regular schedule. The share prices also tend to be less volatile than the prices of common stock.

In fact, preferred stock prices tend to move with changing interest rates in the same way that bond prices do. That's one reason this type of stock is sometimes described as a hybrid investment because it shares some characteristics with common stock and some with fixed-income securities.

What preferred stock doesn't generally offer is the right to vote on corporate matters or the opportunity to share in the corporation's potential for increased profits in the form of increased share prices and dividend payments.

Convertible preferred shares can be exchanged for a specific number of common shares of the issuing company at an agreed-upon price. The process is similar to the way that a convertible bond can be exchanged for common stock.

preferred stock

see PREFERENCE SHARE.

preferred stock

see PREFERENCE SHARE.

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Preferred stock.

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Synonyms for preferred stock

noun stock whose holders are guaranteed priority in the payment of dividends but whose holders have no voting rights

Synonyms

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