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Analysts publish earnings forecasts for companies they follow. Sometimes analysts publish a lower number than they really believe to reduce chances of a negative surprise, but they supposedly “whisper” what they really think to their best friends. Most whisper numbers you see on the Web are simply the analysts’ consensus forecasts plus the average of the most recent two or three earnings surprises. 

Current assets minus current liabilities. 

To write an option is to sell an option. The person who sells the option is considered to be the writer.

This is the measure of the return on an investment and is shown as a percentage. A stock yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend by the stock’s current market price. For example, a stock selling at $50 and with an annual dividend of $5 per share yields 10%. A bond yield is a more complicated calculation, involving annual interest payments, plus amortizing the difference between its current market price and par value over the life of the bond.

When the market or security tends to vary often and wildly in prices, it is said to be volatile.

The measurement of how much an underlying security fluctuates over a period of time.

Volume is the daily number of shares of a security that are traded. Volume is one of the most important indicators we watch. Its relation with price movements tells us 90% of the story behind a stock?s movement and future movements. At its simplest, increased volume on increasing prices shows accumulation. Increased volume on lower prices shows distribution. There are many variations on this theme, and we spend a great deal of time poring over price/volume relations to determine which way a stock will move.

A group of stocks or funds that you are tracking, but don’t currently own.

Stock price is trending higher. 

One who looks for out of favor (value priced) stocks.