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Margin allows investors to buy securities using borrowed money from a broker. The investor is charged interest for the loan. Margin requirements differ depending upon the type of transaction being made or the type of stock being purchased, e.g., selling puts, buying stock, credit spreads. Options are not generally marginable.

A security of an issuer that is exchangeable for securities of another issuer (usually a subsidiary) in accordance with the terms of the exchange feature. The exchange may be at the option of the holder or at the option of the issuer of the securities.

Stocks that don’t qualify for NASDAQ listing are traded here or by Pink Sheets. Be careful.

An organization, usually a stock brokerage firm, involved in taking a new company public (IPO), consulting on mergers and acquisitions, handling corporate borrowing, etc.

A type of underwriting where the investment firm acts as an agent. The firm agrees to use its best efforts to sell the new issue of securities, but does not guarantee the issuing company that the securities to be issued will be sold.

Commonly refers to the situation where the number of issued securities equals the number of outstanding securities. However, under certain corporate statutes in Canada, an issuer may have issued securities and then repurchased those securities without cancelling them. In that case, the securities are issued but are not outstanding. As a result, the number of issued securities does not equal the number of outstanding securities.

The process whereby an in-depth examination of a company’s business prospects is conducted.

A security with a solid record of dividend payments and which offers a dividend yield higher than the average common stock.

Any of a company’s securities or the act of distributing the securities. Issued shares refer to the portion of a company’s shares that have been issued for sale. A company does not have to issue the total number of its authorized shares.

An order with a limit price better than the best price on the opposite side of the market. A better-priced buy order has a limit price higher than the best offering. A better-priced sell order has a limit price lower than the best bid. These are available only at the opening.