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What Is a Stock?

In this lesson you will learn what defines a stock, how stocks operate, and how to

differentiate among the various types of stock.

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I l@ve RuBoard

Stock Talk

A stock is a proportional ownership interest in a company. Or, in simplest terms, a stock is a

portion of the value of a company. When you buy stock in a company, you are actually

purchasing a piece of that company.

For example, let's say that we added up all of Widget Inc.'s assets, or the things that Widget

Inc. owns-computers, office buildings, etc.-and the value of everything came to $1,000.00.

Then let's say for argument's sake that Widget Inc. issues 1,000 shares of stock for people to

buy. If you buy one share of Widget Inc., you own 1/1,000 of everything that Widget Inc.

owns.

Plain English

A stock is a means by which the average person can purchase a company by

dividing its purchase price into shares small enough to be accessibly priced for

everyone.

You are actually an owner of the world-famous Widget Inc. company, and, as such, you get

all the rights and responsibilities that go along with being an owner. When the management

of Widget Inc. makes decisions regarding the company, like buying a new building, they need

to get your approval-yours and the other 999 people's, assuming each bought one share

like you. If you buy two shares you own twice as much of the company and have twice as

many votes in decisions on how it will be run. While the company's board of directors will

deal with most day-to-day issues, it is your vote which places them or removes them from the

board, thereby making you the ultimate authority. You can go to the company's annual

meeting and cast your vote, or you can vote by absentee ballot. The absentee ballot is called

a proxy; it is a legal form by which an investor votes in absentia, transferring his or her voting

authority to another party.

Plain English

A proxy is the ballot form that is sent to shareholders for their votes. Since few

people actually attend annual meetings, the word "proxy" has become synonymous

with the vote itself. Most people refer to "voting their proxy."

The rights and responsibilities of owning stock, as discussed earlier, both apply to a proxy in

that voting on how the company operates is a right reserved exclusively for stockholders. It is

also your responsibility, however, in that by not voting, you are leaving the management of

"your" company in the hands of others