When-Issued Trading

Occurs when the security has been listed and posted for trading, but the certificate representing the security itself is not yet issued and available for settlement. The exchange bulletin issued on listing of the security indicates if the trading will be done on a when-issued basis. In this case, the issuance of the security is guaranteed and the delay in issuance is often due to factors relating to the printing and distribution of the security. The period for when-issued trading is usually less than one week.

Liabilities

The debts and obligations of a company or an individual. Current liabilities are debts due and payable within one year. Long-term liabilities are those payable after one year. Liabilities are found on a company’s balance sheet or an individual’s net worth statement.

Whisper Number

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. 

Limit Order

An order to buy or sell stock at a specified price. The order can be executed only at the specified price or better. A limit order sets the maximum price the client is willing to pay as a buyer, and the minimum price they are willing to accept as a seller.

Value Stocks

Companies currently out of favor with investors. These companies usually have low valuation ratios (price/earnings less than the S&P 500, price/sales ratio less than 2, price/book ratio less than 2). 

Venture Capitalist

An investor involved in financing a company’s operations before going public in exchange for an ownership percentage.

Last Sale Price

For a Market On Close (MOC)-eligible security, the last sale price equals the calculated closing price. If the MOC closing price acceptance parameters are exceeded, it equals the last board lot sale price of the security on the exchange in the regular trading session.For any other listed security, the last sale price equals the last board lot sale price of the security on the exchange, in the regular trading session.

Volatile

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