Trades based on signals from computer programs. These are usually entered directly from the traders computer to the market’s computer system. Program trading accounts for an increasingly larger and larger portion of all trades throughout the day. Additionally, these large trades may be hedged by an offsetting position in index futures.
Archives
Prospectus
A legal document describing securities being offered for sale to the public. It must be prepared in accordance with provincial securities commission regulations. Prospectus documents usually disclose pertinent information concerning the company’s operations, securities, management and purpose of the offering.
Private Placement
The private offering of a security to a small group of buyers. Resale of the security is limited. See Best Efforts and Bought Deal Underwriting.
Pro Forma Earnings
Earnings without considering certain expenses such as inventory write downs, severance pay, depreciation and amortization charges, or just about anything else the company feels like excluding to make its earnings look better. Also known as core earnings, ongoing earnings, earnings excluding special items, or operating earnings.
Profit
What is left over for the owners of a business after all expenses have been deducted from revenues. Gross profit is the profit before corporate income taxes. Net profit is the final profit of the business after taxes have been paid.
Principal Trade
A trade when a Participating Organization is either buying from, or selling to its client.
Priority
If there are several orders competing for a stock at the same price, a priority determines when one of these orders will be filled before any other at this price. Priority is based on the time at which the order is received into the system.
Price to Earnings Ratio (p/e)
Latest share price divided by 12-month earnings per share (eps). Also a measure of the market’s enthusiasm for a company.
Price to Sales Ratio (p/s)
Latest share price divided by 12-month sales per share.
Price-Earnings (P/E) Ratio
A common stock’s last closing market price per share divided by the latest reported 12-month earnings per share. This ratio shows you how many times the actual or anticipated annual earnings a stock is trading at.