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Annual sales divided by the number of shares outstanding.

Price moves in a single direction and it usually closes on an extreme for the day.

The document that an issuer completes and submits to an exchange when it applies to list its shares on the exchange. The issuer must disclose its activities, plans, management and finances in the application.

Sales at retail stores or restaurants open at least one year. A chain’s same store sales growth excludes gains due to increases in the number of stores. Same store sales growth in the 5 percent to 10 percent range is considered good.

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

The study and use of price and volume charts and other technical indicators to make trading decisions. Technical analysis attempts to use past stock price and volume information to predict future price movements. Fundamentally, technical analysis shows in graphic form investor sentiment, both greed and fear. Understanding that concept is key to understanding technical analysis and being able to use it effectively to trade securities. With proper technical analysis, you can be ready for certain moves, and when your analysis is confirmed by the actual start of the move, trading positions can be taken. Technical analysis can be used for short-term trading or long-term position buying. We use if for both, and the two are closely related.

This occurs when a stock has consolidated, formed a base, or has been in a trading range, and then breaks above that level, surpassing resistance at the top of the range or base. Breakouts are suspect if they do not occur on high volume (compared to average daily volume). When playing a stock to buy on the upside breakout, we like to use a “buy stop” which calls for purchase when a stock rises above a certain price.

Time after IPO, typically 25 days, when all parties involved in IPO are prohibited from commenting on the company’s future prospects. Analysts employed by underwriters are free to make buy/hold/sell recommendations after the Quiet Period expiration.

Securities firms that employ investment advisors to work with retail and institutional clients. Investment dealers have underwriting, trading and research departments.

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