Editors Note: There are few ways to earn a great return that are better than just not wasting your money and saving it. If you are living from paycheck to paycheck then you are almost definitely not getting the maximum and safest return on your money. A Confident Investor saves money continuously and religiously. You must remember to pay yourself BEFORE you pay anyone else.  Stella has some great thoughts here so I wanted to publish this guest post.

Guest Post by Stella Mak

For most people, saving money has been the best way to a better and more established future. Thus for those who believe in the immense power of saving money, they will somehow find ways to put away some money for saving for a rainy day.

Over the years, people find that it gets harder and harder for their goal at saving more money to take place. They feel that, unlike the good days, common folk’s saving money goal is now no longer a part of life but it has become a commitment that they have to force upon themselves in order to accumulate a sum of money at the end.

In addition, there are also some people who insist that saving money is no longer a possible trait in the lifestyle of modern people. This is due to the increasing standard of living, resulting in many people having to look forward to the next paycheck in order to survive the last few days of this month. In such a situation, is it possible for anybody to be really saving money for a rainy day or for retirement? With the basic commodities rising in prices everyday, it seems unlike that saving money is a solution out of poverty.

However, the key point to note is that it is definitely possible for people to be saving money more successfully, despite all the contention. How? Below is a list of some revolutionary ways that have been proven to give you more success at saving money.

1. Fix the percentage from your salary for your goal at saving money.

It is not uncommon for regular money-savers to set aside at least 30% of their salary for their money saving goal. Most people will first spend whatever money they have from their monthly paycheck or sometimes even more before turning to fulfill their money saving goal. Thus, if you are able to limit your expenditure, your attempt at saving money will definitely be more successful.

2. Pay everything in cash

Most customers are used to paying with their credit cards. This can become a big problem when people start to spend everything on credit. In recent statistics, it has been discovered that the average outstanding credit card balance is around $7000! Plus, as high as $1000 per year is actually spent only on credit card interest charges alone! With such a high credit debt, how can anyone fulfill his goal at saving money?

As a result of people’s desire at wanting more, they did not remember to keep track of their monthly expenses with the end result of accumulating more payables instead. Their saving money goal has to be shelved in order to make room to fulfill this desire for wealth.

3. Goal Setting

It is very important to set goals and stick to them. You should also be very exact about the amount you want to put aside for your saving money goal.

Besides setting your goals based on priorities, you should also set the time frame for achieving your goal at saving money.

4. Study your company’s retirement plan

One other way to help in your saving money goal is to study your company’s retirement plan to see if it will benefit you when you finally retire. Some companies have a plan whereby they deduct a certain percentage of your salary from each paycheck for your investment funds. This can be seen as forcing you to set aside funds for your saving money goal.

The important point to remember is that your goal at saving money is not an attempt to integrate it into your way of life or to make it your yearly resolution simply because everyone else is doing it. What is vital is what you get at the end when you’ve finally achieved your goal and has proven to be successful at saving money.

Saving more money in this bad economy is not impossible, you just need to have the right strategies and get the right advice from the right people! Find out how you can actually make and save more money at http://www.makemoneyideas.expertreviewslist.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stella_Mak

Company name Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Stock ticker ALXN
Live stock price [stckqut]ALXN[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Fair
MANAGEMENT EXECUTION
Employee productivity Good
Sales growth Good
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Good
ANALYSIS
Confident Investor Rating Good
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $125.89
Target stock price (averages with growth) $204.31
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $126.37
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $114.35

“Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alexion) is a biopharmaceutical company,
which is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of
biologic therapeutic products aimed at treating patients with severe and
life-threatening disease states, including hematologic, kidney and
neurologic diseases, transplant rejection, cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Its marketed product Soliris (eculizumab) is a therapy approved for the
treatment of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). In
April 2009 and August 2009, the United States food and drug administration
(FDA) and the European Commission (E.C.), respectively, granted Soliris
orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with atypical
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). In December 2009, its Rhode Island
manufacturing facility received regulatory approval from the E.C. for the
production of Soliris. ”

Confident Investor comments: At this price and at this time, I think that a Confident Investor can confidently invest in this stock.

Now that BHP [stckqut]BHP[/stckqut] has given up their efforts to acquire Potash [stckqut]POT[/stckqut], I am returning Potash to my Watch List. Potash never stopped being a Good Company but it was difficult to be confident in an investment in the company with BHP in the hunt.

From BHP’s website:

15 November 2010
BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP/LSE:BLT/NYSE:BHP and BBL/JSE:BIL) today announced that it has withdrawn its offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (“PotashCorp”) (NYSE:POT/TSX:POT) (the “Offer”).

BHP Billiton has determined that the condition of its Offer relating to receipt of a net benefit determination by the Minister of Industry under the Investment Canada Act cannot be satisfied, and accordingly, the Offer has been withdrawn. A total PotashCorp-related transaction cost of approximately US$350 million, of which approximately US$250 million related to the US$45 billion acquisition financing facility, will be recognised as an exceptional item in the December 2010 interim accounts.

BHP Billiton continues to believe its Offer would have resulted in a significant net benefit to Canada, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. As a package, the proposed undertakings offered by BHP Billiton in a signed, written submission to the Minister of Industry were unparalleled in substance, scope and duration, reflecting the importance of potash to Canada and Saskatchewan. The company had offered to commit to legally-binding undertakings that would have, among other things, increased employment, guaranteed investment and established the company’s global potash headquarters in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The investment commitment included US$450 million on exploration and development over the next five years over and above commitments to spending on the Jansen project. An additional US$370 million would have been spent on infrastructure funds in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. BHP Billiton would also have applied for a listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In addition, BHP Billiton was prepared to make a unique commitment to forego tax benefits to which it was legally entitled and, as a condition of the Minister’s approval, BHP Billiton was prepared to remain a member of Canpotex for five years. Both of these undertakings were intended to allay any concerns the Province of Saskatchewan may have had regarding potential losses in revenues.

Further, to give the company an even stronger Canadian presence, BHP Billiton undertook to relocate to Saskatchewan and Vancouver over 200 additional jobs from outside Canada. BHP Billiton would have maintained operating employment at PotashCorp’s Canadian mines at current levels for five years and would have increased overall employment at the combined Canadian potash businesses by 15% over the same period. BHP Billiton also made a number of additional undertakings in relation to Saskatchewanian and Canadian participation in senior management roles within the combined potash business, within a new Potash Advisory Board and also on the Board of BHP Billiton.

Local suppliers would have been guaranteed a full and fair opportunity to provide goods and services and BHP Billiton undertook to spend at least US$8 million per annum on community programs, primarily in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, while raising overall community spending from PotashCorp’s current levels to BHP Billiton’s levels. BHP Billiton also offered to invest in the University of Saskatchewan to create a Mining Centre of Excellence to enhance the province’s mining capabilities and to raise the international profile of both the University and the province.

BHP Billiton was prepared to accept an unprecedented monitoring and compliance regime that would have provided the Government with additional assurances that the undertakings would be complied with, including making available a US$250 million performance bond.

During the investment review process, BHP Billiton engaged extensively with officials from the Investment Review Division of Industry Canada. In view of the reasons underlying the Minister’s interim decision of November 3, the company believes that the Minister of Industry would have required additional undertakings beyond those BHP Billiton had already offered which would have conflicted with BHP Billiton’s business strategy and been counter to creating shareholder value. BHP Billiton Chief Executive Officer Marius Kloppers expressed disappointment at the outcome while emphasising the company’s commitment to Canada and disciplined approach to shareholder value.

“Unfortunately, despite having received all required anti-trust clearances for the Offer, we have not been able to obtain clearance under the Investment Canada Act and have accordingly decided to withdraw the Offer. We remain committed to Canada and we plan to develop a significant presence in the potash industry in Saskatchewan. As part of those plans we will continue to progress our Jansen Project and other development opportunities,” he said.

“Our core business strategy of diversifying our investments across geographies and commodities differentiates us and, more importantly, continues to deliver value to our shareholders and the communities and countries where we operate. We have an unparalleled portfolio of tier one assets, which we believe can sustain decades of increased production. We plan to invest US$15 billion in our global business this financial year and expect our ongoing capital commitment to continue to deliver robust production growth,” Mr Kloppers added.

BHP Billiton also announced its intention to continue the company’s strong track record of returning excess capital to shareholders by reactivating the remaining US$4.2 billion component of its previously suspended US$13.0 billion buy-back program.

BHP Billiton Chairman Jac Nasser said: “The decision to reactivate the buy-back program is entirely consistent with our commitment to maintain an appropriate capital structure while we continue to make substantial investments in our growth projects. BHP Billiton has a strong track record of returning capital to shareholders. From 2005, BHP Billiton has completed buy-backs totalling US$12.7 billion or 11% of issued capital, and has also paid out US$17.9 billion in dividends.”

GUEST POST BY KAREN OATES

To succeed at trading the stock market, you must be fully aware of how your mindset plays the most crucial role in your success. The stock market is driven by human emotion and unless you have control of your actions and reactions, it can be difficult to get the results you desire and it can in fact see you give up early.

Here are some useful tips on how to fortify your trading mindset.

  • Always take full responsibility for your trading decisions.
  • Successful traders make up their own minds whilst investors, as a rule simply follow the trend of the crowds
  • Consider and be open to good advice from experts, realizing that the final and ultimate decision is up to you and you alone.
  • In every trade situation, regardless of the loss or profit, focus on the learning opportunity and how well you executed your plan. Do not let the + or – signs for that trade dictate whether the trade was a good on or not.

Avoid the pitfalls of ‘over trading’ and ‘under trading.’

  • There are basically two types of over trading. Trading too often and trading too many shares/contracts.
  • Remember that there really is no good reason to trade constantly, since extreme over-trading creates stress, produces high commissions and can often lead to more losses.
  • Market forces do not last forever and time has shown various examples of the law of gravity in the trading market- that whatever comes up must go down. – and vice versa.
  • Instead of grabbing every opportunity that comes along (or thinking that it is an opportunity) make sure each trade setup meets the criteria of your trading plan, don’t be over confident or scared of making trades.
  • Utilizing a risk calculator to determine the appropriate position size before you enter a trade can help you determine how many shares/contracts you initially buy. You can start off with a small position and add as the trade continues in your favor. It relieves stress to know that the amount at risk for each position you hold is well proportioned to the size of your entire account and this is great asset management.
  • Whenever you feel that you did not stick to your trading plan and made a mistake, quickly learn from that and let it go.

Always think like a successful trader.

  • Thinking and acting as a successful trader turns you into a successful trader, since your thoughts and actions create what you get in your life.
  • Thoughts are like muscles, the ones you use the most will grow to become the strongest. Work on the thoughts you want to develop and focus on them regularly, since it has the tendency to become action, action become habits, and habits determine results.
  • Always think of success and you are much more to be on your way to success.

Finally, relax and enjoy your trading! If you don’t enjoy what you do then that will show in your results.

Having fun and enjoying at what you do is a very good motivator to give you focus on successful trading

Go have fun and make yourself some serious money!

Karen Oates is a seasoned options trader and mindset coach who excels at helping traders understand themselves and the stock market by using a ‘keep it simple’ trading plan and the mind tools of success through mastery of mindset, focus, behaviors, believes and strategies.

Karen is certified as a:
Master NLP Practitioner
Master Results Coach
Performance Consultant
Specializing in Advanced Subconscious Reprogramming and Master Hypnosis
http://www.outofmymindtrading.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Oates

401(k) Plan – A retirement plan that allows employees to save money for retirement on a pre-tax basis. Employees may set aside a percentage of their pay in a 401(k) each year, and the contributions and earnings grow tax deferred until withdrawn. The term “401(k)” actually refers to a section of the Internal Revenue Code. Beginning in 2006, 401(k) plans may allow Roth contributions to be made on an after-tax basis (see Roth contributions).


Adviser – You may notice the term in mutual fund prospectuses, commonly referring to the organization, such as a financial services company, responsible for the overall management of a mutual fund.


After-Tax Contribution – Money that employees may elect to set aside in a retirement plan after they have paid Federal income taxes on it. Not all plans allow after-tax contributions.


Aggressive Growth Fund – A mutual fund that takes higher risk in return for potentially higher rewards. Aggressive growth funds are designed to increase the value of the original investment, and often invest in stocks of smaller companies with strong growth potential.


Annual report – The formal financial statement issued yearly by a corporation. The annual report shows assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and earnings – how the company stood at the close of the business year, how it fared profit-wise during the year, as well as other information of interest to shareowners.


Asset – Any property that has monetary value, including homes, cars, jewelry, savings, and investments.


Asset Allocation – The way in which you divide investment dollars between stocks, bonds, and cash investments. Allocating assets among different investment classes may help to improve the potential for savings growth while at the same time reducing overall risk.


Asset Allocation Fund – A mutual fund that generally invests in a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash investments in a proportion designed to meet particular investment goals. Asset allocation funds generally divide your money between various investments so you don’t have to.


Asset Class – A type of investment. The three primary asset classes are stocks, bonds, and cash investments. Different asset classes have various rates of risk and return, and each offers investment opportunities to meet distinct goals.


Balanced Fund – A mutual fund designed to provide income and growth from a combination of stocks and bonds. Balanced funds generally seek to combine long-term growth from stocks with income from bonds and dividends. Because bonds make up a portion of a balanced fund’s portfolio, its share price usually will not vary as much as that of a growth fund.


Basis Point – One one-hundredth of one percent. For example, 20 basis points equal 0.20%. Mutual fund expenses and yield differences among bonds are often calculated using basis points.


Bear Market – A term used to describe a situation in which a stock market loses value over an extended period of time.


Beneficiary – A person designated to receive the proceeds (or benefit) from a qualified retirement plan upon the death of the account holder.


Birth Certificate – A legal document that verifies the date and place of an individual’s birth.


Blue Chip – A term used to describe a high quality, relatively low-risk investment. Blue chip stocks, for instance, are generally those of nationally known companies with long records of growth and dividend payments, with reputations for quality management, products, and services.


Bond – An “IOU” that represents money borrowed by a corporation or government. The borrower, or bond issuer, promises to pay back the bond at a specified point in the future, and makes regular interest payments until that date. Prices of bonds go up and down as interest rates rise and fall.


Bond Fund – A mutual fund that invests mainly in bonds. Bond funds tend to be less risky than stock funds, generally offering income and moderate stability.


Book value – An accounting term. Book value of a stock is determined from a company’s records, by adding all assets then deducting all debts and other liabilities, plus the liquidation price of any preferred issues. The sum arrived at is divided by the number of common shares outstanding and the result is book value per common share. Book value of the assets of a company or a security may have little relationship to market value.


Broker-Dealer – A financial firm that charges a fee for giving financial advice and selling mutual funds or other investments to the public.


Bull Market – A term that refers to a market that gains value for an extended period of time. An extended bull market began in 1995.


Buy-and-Hold – A strategy that emphasizes holding investments for a long period of time regardless of whether their prices rise or fall.


Capital Appreciation Fund – A mutual fund that seeks growth or an increase in the value of the original investment — by investing primarily in stocks whose values are expected to rise.


Capital Gain Distributions – Mutual funds buy and sell the securities, called holdings, that make up the fund. When a profit is made from the sale of any of these holdings, the gains are paid out to the fund’s shareholders. These payments are called capital gain distributions, and are made in proportion to the number of shares each individual owns.


Capital Gain or Loss – The difference between what you pay for an investment and what you sell it for. If you sell an asset for more than you paid for it, you will experience a capital gain. Should you sell the asset for less than you paid for it, you will experience a capital loss. For tax purposes, capital gains are divided into short-term and long-term. A profit on the sale of a security held for less than one year is a short-term capital gain, while a profit on the sale of a security held for more than one year is a long-term capital gain. Long-term gains are taxed at a lower rate than short-term gains.


Capital Growth – The increase in value, or appreciation, of an investment. Investors seeking capital growth typically purchase stocks whose values are expected to rise.


Capitalization – The total stock market value of all shares of a company’s stock. A company’s market capitalization is determined by how many shares of stock have been issued to the public. A small-capitalization company, for example, has issued under $250 million worth of stock. $250 million to $1 billion is generally considered mid-capitalization, and over $1 billion is considered large capitalization.


Cash Reserves – Short-term investments such as cash deposits, short-term bank deposits, money market instruments, and U.S. Treasury bills. You may find this term in mutual fund prospectuses, indicating that the fund may invest part of its assets in cash reserves for defensive purposes. This means that the fund manager may sell some of the fund’s securities for cash if necessary.


Certificate of Deposit (CD) – An insured, interest-bearing debt instrument issued by a bank that requires the depositor to keep the money invested for a specific period of time.


Commingling – Combining retirement dollars transferred from a qualified retirement plan to an IRA with other IRA dollars. Commingled funds cannot be moved to a qualified plan.


Commission – A fee paid to a broker for executing a trade, such as purchasing or selling stocks. The commission is set by the broker and paid by the individual.


Common Stock – Stocks represent a share in the ownership of a company, and common stock is a class of stock that carries voting rights and earns dividends. The voting rights enable shareholders to vote on issues such as elections to the board of directors and other substantial changes in the corporation’s business affairs. Should a company file for bankruptcy, common stockholders are “last in line” for claims on the corporation’s assets.


Compounding – A powerful force that allows money to build upon itself. Investment gains build upon the money originally invested and also on investment gains made in previous years.


Conduit IRA – A “holding place” for retirement plan savings that may later be transferred to a new employer’s qualified retirement plan. No regular (non-rollover) contributions may be made to a conduit IRA in order to preserve the ability to transfer the amount to a new employer’s qualified plan.


Consolidated balance sheet – A balance sheet showing the financial condition of a corporation and its subsidiaries


Correction – A short-term drop in stock prices that returns prices to what the market considers more reasonable values. In October of 1997, the stock market experienced a day-long “dip” which was considered a correction.


Cost Basis – The original cost of an investment including commissions and other expenses. If you invested $20 that subsequently appreciated to $30, your cost basis would be $20. This figure is generally used to determine gains and losses for tax purposes.


Credit Quality – A measurement of a bond issuer’s credit history and ability to repay interest and principal on time. Certain rating agencies, such as Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, list credit ratings on corporate and municipal bonds. Bonds with lower credit quality generally offer higher interest rate payments to compensate for their higher risk. Bonds with higher credit quality generally offer lower interest rate payments since they tend to be safer.


Credit Risk – The risk that a bond issuer will not pay principal or interest to the investor when due. Also called “default risk.”


Currency Risk – The potential for price fluctuations in the dollar value of international stocks due to changing currency exchange rates. If you invest in global or international mutual funds, you may be taking on currency risk.


Current assets – Those assets of a company that are reasonably expected to be realized in cash, sold or consumed during one year. These include cash, U.S. Government bonds, receivables and money due usually within one year, as well as inventories.


Current liabilities – Money owed and payable by a company, usually within one year.


Custodian – A bank, trust company, or other organization responsible for holding and administering financial assets. All securities held by a mutual fund are safeguarded by a custodian.


Day order – An order to buy or sell that, if not executed, expires at the end of trading day on which it was entered.


Death Certificate – A legal document that documents the date and place of an individual’s death.


Defined Benefit Plan – A retirement plan that provides a specified (or defined) benefit at retirement, derived by applying a formula which is usually based on an employee’s average salary and years of service. The employer contributes the estimated amount necessary to fund the benefit at retirement, and makes investment decisions pertaining to the money in the plan. Defined benefit plans are more commonly known as pensions, and have become less common in recent years as defined contribution plans gain popularity.


Defined Contribution Plan – A retirement plan that provides an individual account for each participant. Benefits are based on the amount contributed to the account by the employee and, in many cases, the employer, plus any income, expenses, gains and losses made on the investments in the account.


Direct Rollover – A transfer of money made directly from one qualified plan to another qualified plan or Individual Retirement Account (IRA). If you leave your company and decide to move your retirement plan money to your new company’s plan, you may move it by using the direct rollover method.


Director – Person elected by shareholders to serve on the board of directors. The directors appoint the president, vice presidents, and all other operating officers. Directors decide, among other matters, if and when dividends shall be paid.


Distribution – A withdrawal from a retirement plan or IRA. Distributions are taxable and, if made before retirement age, are sometimes subject to penalties.


Diversification – The strategy of “putting your eggs in different baskets,” or investing in a variety of securities. Securities like stocks, bonds, and cash investments have different risks and returns, which helps reduce the risk of losing money when the price of any one type falls.


Dividend – The payment designated by the board of directors to be distributed pro rata among the shares outstanding. On preferred shares, it is generally a fixed amount. On common shares, the dividend varies with the fortunes of the company and the amount of cash on hand, and may be omitted if business is poor or the directors determine to withhold earnings to invest in plant and equipment. Sometimes a company will pay a dividend out of past earnings even if it is not currently operating at a profit.


Dollar Cost Averaging – A system of investing a regular amount of money, usually in stocks or mutual funds, on a set schedule, regardless of the price of the investment at the time. The goal of dollar cost averaging is to lower your average cost per share. If the price of a security is high, your money will buy fewer shares. If the price is low, your money will buy more shares. When you participate in your company’s 401(k) plan, you are practicing dollar cost averaging, because you invest the same amount in the same investments each month. Dollar cost averaging does not assure a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market, and involves continuous investment in securities regardless of fluctuating price levels. Investors should consider their financial ability to continue purchasing shares during periods of low price levels.


Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) – A group of 30 major U.S. industrial companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones is generally considered to mirror the New York Stock Exchange as a whole. The S&P 500 index, which tracks 500 companies, is considered to be more representative of the broad U.S. stock market.


Early Withdrawal Penalty – A penalty on money withdrawn from a qualified retirement


Earnings report – A statement, also called an income statement, issued by a company showing its earnings or losses over a given period. The earnings report lists the income earned, expenses and the net result.


Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) – A profit sharing, stock bonus, or money purchase plan that invests primarily in the employer’s stock. By participating in an ESOP, employees receive shares of company stock, making them part owners of the company while also investing for retirement.


Employer Matching Contribution – A contribution made by an employer to an employee’s 401(k) account. The contribution matches a percentage of the amount the employee contributes.


Expense Ratio – The annual cost of running a mutual fund, expressed in a percentage. The expense ratio includes fund expenses like management fees, administrative fees, operating costs, and sometimes marketing and sales fees.


Fiduciary Responsibility – Federal law places certain responsibilities on the people who have control over your retirement plan’s assets. Those people are called fiduciaries, and they must act prudently when executing transactions on your behalf and always act in your best interest.


Fiscal year – A corporation’s accounting year. Due to the nature of their particular business, some companies do not use the calendar year for their bookkeeping. A typical example is the department store that finds December 31 too early a date to close its books after the Christmas rush. For that reason many stores wind up their accounting year January 31. Their fiscal year, therefore, runs from February 1 of one year through January 31 of the next. The fiscal year of other companies may run from July 1 through the following June 30. Most companies, though, operate on a calendar year basis.


Fixed-Income Fund – A mutual fund with the primary goal of providing regular income. To achieve this objective, a fixed-income fund generally invests in bonds, which pay regular income in the form of interest.


Fund Family – A group of mutual funds from the same organization. Many large mutual fund companies offer many different funds, and group them together as a fund family.


Good ’til canceled (GTC) or open order – An order to buy or sell that remains in effect until it is either executed or canceled.


Growth and Income Fund – A mutual fund that seeks long-term growth as well as income. Growth and income funds seek to achieve their goals by purchasing stocks of large, dividend-paying companies with good prospects for future growth. Growth is generated by the increase in stock value, and income generally comes from stock dividends.


Growth Fund – A mutual fund that seeks to provide long-term growth by purchasing stocks of companies that have experienced rapid growth and are expected to continue such growth for an extended period.


Guaranteed Investment Contract (GIC) – A conservative investment product issued by an insurance company that pays a guaranteed interest rate. While the interest rate is guaranteed, the original investment is not guaranteed.


Holdings – The various securities that make up a mutual fund. For instance, a balanced fund’s holdings are many different individual bonds and stocks.


Income – Interest and dividends earned on securities held by a mutual fund and paid out to fund shareholders. An income fund is a mutual fund that seeks to provide income by investing in bonds and/or income-paying stocks.


Index – An indicator or benchmark that measures the performance of a group of securities. The Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index, for instance, is an index of the 500 largest, most actively traded stocks on the New York Stock Exchange. It is generally used as an indicator of the overall health of the U.S. stock market.


Index Fund – A mutual fund that seeks to parallel the performance of a particular stock or bond market index. Index fund managers purchase the same securities as the index they are trying to parallel, and generally do not buy or sell any other securities for the fund. This is why these funds are sometimes called “unmanaged.”


Individual Retirement Account (IRA) – A retirement savings account that generally allows a person to contribute up to $2,000 a year. The contributions may be tax-deductible, and earnings accumulate untaxed until they are withdrawn.


Inflation Risk – The possibility that increases in the cost of living will reduce the returns of an investment.


In-Kind Stock Distribution – If you own shares of your employer’s stock and your plan permits; you may have two options when withdrawing them from your account. You may sell the shares for cash, in which case you would receive a check, or you may elect to receive the actual share certificates, in which case you would take the shares in kind.


Institutional investors – Organizations which pool large sums of money and invest those sums in companies. They include banks, insurance companies, retirement or pension funds, hedge funds and mutual funds. Their role in the economy is to act as highly specialized investors on behalf of others. For instance, an ordinary person will have a pension from his employer. The employer gives that person’s pension contributions to a fund. The fund will buy shares in a company, or some other financial product.


Interest – Payments borrowers pay lenders for the use of their money. A corporation pays interest on its bonds to its bondholders.


Interest Rate Risk – The risk that an investment will decline in price because of changes in interest rates. If you own bonds or bond funds you may be subjecting yourself to interest rate risk.


International Fund – A mutual fund that invests in companies from outside the United States.


Investment Objective – The financial goal that an investor or a mutual fund pursues.


IRA – Individual retirement account. A pension plan with tax advantages. IRAs permit investment through intermediaries like mutual funds, insurance companies and banks, or directly in stocks and bonds through stockbrokers.


IRA Disclosure Statement – A legal document stating the rules that govern an IRA, similar to a mutual fund prospectus. Anyone opening an IRA receives a copy of its disclosure statement.


Liquidity – A measurement of how quickly an investment can be sold for cash. A mutual fund, for example, is usually a very liquid investment, because you can redeem your shares at any time. On the other hand, a house is a very illiquid investment.


Load – The portion of the offering price of shares of open-end investment companies in excess of the value of the underlying assets. Covers sales commissions and all other costs of distribution. The load is usually incurred only on purchase, there being, in most cases, no charge when the shares are sold (redeemed).


Long – Signifies ownership of securities. “I am long 500 IBM” means the person owns 500 shares of International Business Machines Corporation or NYSE:IBM.


Lump Sum Distribution – Payment of an entire benefit under a qualified retirement plan.


Market order – An order to buy or sell a stated amount of a security at the most advantageous price obtainable after the order is represented in the trading crowd.


Market price – The last reported price at which the stock or bond sold, or the current quote.


Market Risk – The possibility that securities prices will go down. People who invest in stocks are subject to market risk.


Market Timing – An investment strategy based on predicting market trends. The goal of market timing is to buy a security before its price goes up and sell before it goes down. Market timing is generally not recommended, as it is very difficult to achieve positive results.


Money Market Fund – A conservative mutual fund that invests in very short-term securities, seeking to maintain a constant price of $1.00 per share. There is no assurance that the funds will maintain a constant price, and money market funds are not guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government.


Money Purchase Pension Plan – A defined contribution retirement plan in which an employer makes a fixed contribution on behalf of each eligible employee each year. The fixed contribution is usually based on the employee’s compensation.


Municipal Bond Fund – A mutual fund that invests in tax-exempt bonds issued by state, city, and local governments. The interest obtained from these bonds is passed through to shareholders and is generally free of Federal, state, and local income taxes. Because of their tax-free status, these funds are generally not available for use in retirement plans.


Mutual Fund – An investment company that pools money from individuals and buys securities according to a shared, or “mutual,” investment objective.


National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) – An organization set up to protect the investing public against fraudulent acts.


Net Asset Value (NAV) – The dollar value of a share of a mutual fund. Net asset values are calculated at the end of each business day by mutual fund companies, and are determined by dividing the market value of a fund’s total assets, minus expenses, by the number of shares outstanding.


No-Load Fund – A mutual fund that sells its shares without charging a sales commission, or load. No-load funds can be purchased directly from the mutual fund company. No-load mutual fund companies typically do not provide investment advice.


Non-Liquid Asset – Not readily convertible to cash, such as a stock, bond or commodity that is not traded actively. Also, securities that are not traded through a public exchange such as private equity, limited partnerships and real estate.


Non-Qualified Plan – A retirement plan that does not meet the IRS requirements for favorable tax treatment, and is essentially an unsecured promise to pay benefits. A non-qualified plan has fewer limitations than a qualified plan, and is often used as a benefit for select highly paid employees who are already receiving maximum benefits under their qualified plans.


Portfolio – A collection of mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and other investments. The combined holdings in a mutual fund are also called its portfolio.


Pre-Tax Contributions – Money contributed to a retirement plan on a pre-tax basis that is not subject to current Federal taxes. Taxes are paid when money is withdrawn at a later date. 401(k) plan contributions are made through pre-tax deductions from an employee’s paycheck.


Price-to-earnings ratio – A popular way to compare stocks selling at various price levels. The P/E ratio is the price of a share of stock divided by earnings per share for a 12-month period. For example, a stock selling for $50 a share and earning $5 a share is said to be selling at a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.


Profit Sharing Plan – A plan in which an employer contributes money to employees’ retirement accounts. The level of employer contributions is variable and may be based entirely on employer discretion. Actual contributions are usually a percentage of each eligible employee’s compensation.


Prospectus – A mutual fund’s legal selling document. It contains information about investment objectives, policies, risks, costs, and performance. Before purchasing shares of a mutual fund, whether for your retirement account or a personal account, you should always read its prospectus.


Qualified Retirement Plan – A retirement plan that meets the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code enabling it to qualify for favorable tax treatment, often permitting the employer to deduct contributions to the plan. The principal tax advantage is that participants can postpone paying taxes on contributions and earnings until money is withdrawn at a later date.


Risk – The potential to lose money or not gain value on an investment. There are many different types of risk, including market risk, inflation risk, and currency risk.


Risk Tolerance – Your ability to withstand declines in the prices of the investments you own. Your level of risk tolerance will help you determine whether you are a conservative, moderate, or aggressive investor. Your risk tolerance depends upon how long you have to invest, your financial circumstances, and personal preference.


Rollover IRA – Also known as a conduit IRA, it is a “holding place” for retirement plan savings that may later be transferred to a new employer’s qualified retirement plan or IRA. No regular (non-rollover) contributions may be made to a rollover IRA in order to preserve the ability to transfer the assets to a new employer’s qualified plan.


Roth Contributions – Money contributed to a retirement plan on an after-tax basis. Taxes are paid when the money is contributed, but earnings on Roth contributions grow tax-free. Tax-free distributions may be made after age 59.5, death or disability provided the Roth account has been open for at least 5 years. Not all plans allow Roth contributions.


Securities – Investment vehicles such as stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares. Securities are issued by corporations, governments, or other entities, and offer shares of ownership or a creditor relationship.


Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – The primary federal regulatory agency responsible for administering the laws governing the securities industry and protecting investors from securities fraud and malpractice. The SEC regulates mutual funds, investment advisers, stock and bond markets, and broker-dealers.


Share – A unit of ownership in a corporation or mutual fund. As a shareholder, you may receive voting rights, dividends, and a proportionate share of the company’s assets.


Share Price – The value of one share of a mutual fund. Share prices are usually calculated every business day, taking into account the daily changing values of fund holdings.


Signature Guarantee – A signature guarantee is usually required to change the ownership of an investment account. Its purpose is to protect the account owner from forgery, and is often granted by a bank in the form of a stamp or seal.


Stock – A security that represents part ownership in a corporation. Each share of stock is a claim on part of the corporation’s assets and profits, some of which may be paid out as dividends. Stocks can be bought and sold on various exchanges.


Stock dividend – A dividend paid in securities rather than in cash. The dividend may be additional shares of the issuing company, or in shares of another company (usually a subsidiary) held by the company.


Stock Exchange – The physical location where stocks and bonds are bought and sold. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), for instance, is the oldest and largest stock exchange in the U.S. The American Stock Exchange (AMEX) is also located in New York. Companies that trade on this exchange are generally smaller than those traded on the NYSE.


Stock Fund – A mutual fund whose holdings consist mainly of stocks.


Stock symbols – Every corporation whose transactions are reported on the NYSE or on NASDAQ has been given a unique identification symbol of up to four letters. These symbols abbreviate the complete corporate name and facilitate trading and ticker reporting.


Stop limit order – A stop order that becomes a limit order after the specified stop price has been reached.


Stop order – An order to buy at a price above or sell at a price below the current market. Stop buy orders are generally used to limit loss or protect unrealized profits on a short sale. Stop sell orders are generally used to protect unrealized profits or limit loss on a holding. A stop order becomes a market order when the stock sells at or beyond the specified price and, thus, may not necessarily be executed at that price.


Summary Annual Report – A basic financial statement that must be provided to participants in a qualified retirement plan. It includes the name of the plan and employer, the period covered by the report, a basic financial statement, and notice that a full annual report is available upon request.


Summary Plan Description (SPD) – A written description of the main provisions of a qualified retirement plan that must be distributed to participants and beneficiaries in a timely manner.


Tax-Deferred Retirement Plan – A retirement plan in which payment of taxes is postponed until amounts are withdrawn. If you save through a tax deferred retirement plan, the money you would normally pay in taxes will remain in your account until you begin making withdrawals (usually upon retirement), during which time it may have a chance to accumulate and compound. When you begin making withdrawals, you will be required to pay taxes on that money, although you may fall into a lower tax bracket at that time. 401(k) plans are tax-deferred retirement plans.


Technical research – Analysis of the market and stocks based on supply and demand. The technician studies price movements, volume, trends and patterns, which are revealed by charting these factors, and attempts to assess the possible effect of current market action on future supply and demand for securities and individual issues.


Total Return – The amount you earn on an investment over a specific period of time, calculated by adding the change in price of an investment plus any income or other distributions. Total return is expressed as a percentage. For example, a stock that rose 8% in price and paid a dividend of 4% would have a total return of 12%.


Trust – A legal entity established under state law that holds and administers plan assets for the benefit of participants and beneficiaries. Qualified retirement plan assets are required to be held in a trust to ensure that they will be available for a participant’s retirement.


Trustee – The party authorized to hold the assets of a retirement plan in trust. The trustee is responsible for investing the property according to the plan participant’s instructions, and ensuring that the property is available upon the participant’s retirement.


Value Investing – An investment strategy that emphasizes purchasing stocks with below-average prices. “Value investors” look for stocks that are selling at a discount, expecting them to return to their actual worth at some point in the future.


Vesting – A process in which an employee gains ownership of employer contributions made on their behalf to a qualified retirement plan. This process applies only to employer contributions, because participants always have full ownership of their own contributions. A vesting schedule allows an employee to retain a larger percentage of a company contribution over time, based on a minimum amount of service. In most cases, the longer you stay at a company, the larger percentage of company-contributed money you can take with you when you leave.


Volatility – The sharp price movement of a stock, mutual fund, market, or other investment.


Volume – The number of shares or contracts traded in a security or an entire market during a given period. Volume is usually considered on a daily basis and a daily average is computed for longer periods.


Voting right – Common stockholders’ right to vote their stock in affairs of a company. Preferred stock usually has the right to vote when preferred dividends are in default for a specified period. The right to vote may be delegated by the stockholder to another person


Yield – A percentage of return an investor receives based on the annual interest or dividend payments from a stock, bond, mutual fund, annuity, or other investment. Yields are usually stated as a percentage of the investment’s price.