Daba’s Investing Glossary
Common investment terms and concepts
A-Shares
Shares of a company that are traded on the mainland Chinese stock exchanges (Shanghai and Shenzhen).
AAA
Highest credit rating given to a bond or issuer by credit rating agencies, indicating the lowest risk of default.
Abnormal Return
The difference between an asset’s actual return and its expected return, adjusted for market risk.
Absolute Advantage
The ability of a country, individual, or company to produce a good or service more efficiently than competitors.
Absolute Advantage
When a person or country can produce a good or service more efficiently than others, using fewer resources.
Absolute Return
The return that an asset achieves over a period of time, independent of the benchmark.
Accounting
The process of recording, summarizing, and analyzing financial transactions of a business.
Accounting Cycle
The sequence of accounting procedures followed in recording, classifying, and summarizing business transactions.
Accounting Equation
The fundamental equation of accounting, expressed as Assets = Liabilities + Equity, showing the relationship between a company’s resources and its financial obligations.
Accounting Profit
The difference between revenues and expenses, calculated based on accounting principles.
Accounting Rate of Return (ARR)
A measure of the profitability of an investment, calculated by dividing the average annual profit by the initial investment.
Accredited Investor
An individual or entity that meets certain income or net worth requirements, allowing participation in certain investments.
Accrual Accounting
Accounting method where revenues and expenses are recorded when earned or incurred, regardless of when cash is received or paid.
Accrued Interest
Interest that has accumulated on a loan or investment but has not yet been paid or received.
Acid-Test Ratio
A financial metric that measures a company’s ability to pay its short-term liabilities with its most liquid assets, excluding inventory.
Acquisition
The process of one company purchasing most or all of another company’s shares or assets to gain control of that company.
Acquisition Premium
The amount by which the price paid for an acquisition exceeds the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired.
Active Management
Investment strategy involving frequent buying and selling in an attempt to outperform a market benchmark.
Activist Investor
A shareholder or group of shareholders that seeks to influence the management and strategic decisions of a company.
Add-On Interest
Interest calculated on the full principal of a loan and added to the total repayment amount.
Add-On Interest
Interest that is calculated on the full principal amount of a loan and added to the total repayment amount.
Additional Paid-In Capital
The amount of capital raised by a company from shareholders above the par value of its shares.
Additional Paid-In Capital
The amount of capital raised by a company from shareholders, beyond the par value of the shares.
Adjusted EBITDA
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, adjusted for certain items.
Adjusted Present Value
Valuation method used to estimate the value of a project or business by considering the impact of financing decisions.
Adverse Selection
A situation in which one party in a transaction has more information than the other, leading to potentially unfavorable outcomes for the less-informed party.
Affiliated Companies
Companies that are related to each other through ownership, either wholly or partially.
Affirmative Action
Policies and practices aimed at promoting equal opportunity and addressing past discrimination.
Affirmative Action
Policies and practices designed to promote equal opportunity and increase diversity by addressing past discrimination.
After-Hours Trading
Buying and selling of securities outside the standard trading hours of stock exchanges.
After-Hours Trading
The buying and selling of securities outside of the standard trading hours of stock exchanges.
After-Tax Real Rate of Return
The investment return adjusted for taxes and inflation, reflecting the true increase in purchasing power.
After-Tax Real Rate of Return
The investment return adjusted for taxes and inflation, reflecting the true increase in purchasing power.
Aggressive Investment Strategy
An approach that seeks high returns by taking on higher risks, often through investments in volatile assets.
Aggressive Investment Strategy
An approach to investing that seeks high returns by taking on higher risks, often through investments in volatile assets.
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Provision that reduces accounts receivables to expected collectable amount. Offsets expected losses from non-payment.
Alpha
A measure of an investment’s performance relative to a benchmark, indicating the excess return generated.
Alpha
A measure of an investment’s performance relative to a benchmark, indicating the excess return generated.
Altcoin
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin, often created to offer alternatives or improvements to Bitcoin’s features.
Altcoin
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin, often created to improve upon or offer alternatives to Bitcoin’s features.
Alternative Investment
A financial asset outside traditional categories like stocks, bonds, or cash, such as real estate, commodities, or private equity.
Alternative Investment
A financial asset that does not fall into traditional categories like stocks, bonds, or cash, such as real estate, commodities, or private equity.
Amortizable Bond Premium
The amount paid above the face value of a bond, which is gradually written off over the bond’s remaining life.
Amortization
The process of gradually paying off a debt over time through scheduled, periodic payments that cover both principal and interest.
Amortization schedule
Table detailing the periodic breakdown of payments on a loan between interest expense and principal repayment over the loan term.
Amortized Loan
A loan where the principal and interest are paid down regularly over the life of the loan, typically in equal installments.
Angel Investing
Providing capital for startups in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt, typically by affluent individuals.
Angel Investor
Individual who provides capital for a business start-up, typically in exchange for ownership equity.
Angel Investor
An affluent individual who provides capital to startups in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt.
Annual Equivalent Rate (AER)
The interest rate for a savings account that takes into account compounding interest.
Annual Equivalent Rate (AER)
The interest rate on a savings account or investment product, expressed as an annual percentage, reflecting the compounding of interest.
Annual general meeting
Yearly shareholder meeting of a public company to approve accounts and make key decisions.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Annual meeting of shareholders to discuss company performance and vote on important matters.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
A yearly meeting where a company’s shareholders discuss the company’s performance and vote on important issues.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
The annual cost of borrowing, including interest and certain fees, expressed as a percentage.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
The annual rate charged for borrowing or earned through an investment, including fees and other costs.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
The yearly cost of borrowing money, including interest and fees, expressed as a percentage to help consumers compare different loan options.
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
The effective annual rate of return on an investment, accounting for the effect of compounding interest.
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
The annual rate of return on an investment, taking into account the effect of compounding interest.
Annual Report
Financial report distributed to shareholders summarizing company performance over the past year.
Annual Report
A comprehensive report on a company’s activities and financial performance throughout the preceding year.
Annualize
To convert a rate of return or other financial measure from one period to an annual basis.
Annualized Total Return
Total return on an investment over a period, expressed as an annual percentage.
Anti Money Laundering (AML)
Regulations and procedures designed to prevent criminals from disguising illegally obtained funds as legitimate income.
Anti-Dumping Duty
A tariff imposed on foreign imports priced below fair market value to protect domestic industries.
Anticipatory Breach
A party’s declaration or action indicating they will not fulfill their contractual obligations before the performance is due.
Appropriation
The allocation of funds or resources for a specific purpose by an organization or government.
Appropriation Account
A financial statement that shows how a company’s profits are distributed among shareholders, reserves, and dividends.
Arbitrage
The simultaneous purchase and sale of an asset to profit from price differences in different markets.
Arbitrage
The practice of buying and selling assets in different markets to profit from price differences, ensuring a risk-free gain.
Arbitrageur
Investor who profits from arbitrage – exploiting temporary price discrepancies between different markets.
Arithmetic Mean
The sum of a set of numbers divided by the count of those numbers, commonly known as the average.
Articles Of Association
A document outlining the rules for a company’s operations and governance, including the rights and responsibilities of directors and shareholders.
Articles of Incorporation
A legal document filed with the government to establish a corporation, detailing its structure and purpose.
Artificial Intelligence
The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems, to perform tasks like learning and problem-solving.
Asset
Item of economic value owned by an individual or company. Financial assets like stocks have market values.
Asset allocation
Division of investment portfolio across major asset classes based on goals and risk tolerance.
Asset Class
A group of investments with similar characteristics, such as stocks, bonds, or real estate.
Asset Classes
Categories of assets with similar characteristics, such as equities, bonds, real estate, and commodities.
Asset Coverage Ratio
A financial metric that measures a company’s ability to cover its debt obligations with its assets.
Asset Financing
The use of a company’s assets, like equipment or receivables, as collateral to secure loans or credit.
Asset Management
The professional management of investments on behalf of individuals or institutions to meet specific financial goals.
Asset Management Company (AMC)
A firm that manages investments on behalf of clients by investing in various securities and asset classes.
Asset Protection
Strategies designed to safeguard an individual’s or business’s assets from creditor claims or lawsuits.
Asset Retirement Obligation
A legal obligation to remove or retire an asset at the end of its useful life, typically seen in industries like oil and gas.
Asset Swap
A financial transaction that involves swapping the cash flows of one asset with another, often to manage risk or gain a financial advantage.
Asset Swapped Convertible Option Transaction
A structured financial instrument combining a convertible bond and an asset swap to enhance investment returns.
Asset Turnover Ratio
A financial metric that measures how efficiently a company uses its assets to generate revenue.
Asset Under Management (AUM)
The total market value of assets that a financial institution or investment manager manages on behalf of clients.
Asset Valuation
The process of determining the current worth of an asset based on its market value, earnings potential, or replacement cost.
Asset-Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP)
Short-term debt backed by collateral, typically receivables or loans.
Asset-Backed Security (ABS)
A financial security backed by a pool of assets, such as loans or receivables.
Asset-Based Approach
A valuation method that determines the value of a company based on its assets minus its liabilities.
Asset-Based Lending
A loan provided based on the value of a company’s assets, such as inventory or accounts receivable.
Asset/Liability Management
The process of managing financial risks that arise due to mismatches between a company’s assets and liabilities.
Audit
An independent examination of financial records and statements to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulations.
Audit Committee
A group of a company’s board of directors responsible for overseeing financial reporting and the audit process.
Audit Risk
The risk that an auditor may issue an incorrect opinion on financial statements, failing to identify significant misstatements.
Auditor’s Opinion
The formal statement issued by an auditor outlining their assessment of a company’s financial statements.
Auditor’s Report
A document prepared by an auditor that includes the auditor’s opinion on the accuracy of a company’s financial statements.
Authorized Stock
The maximum number of shares a company is legally allowed to issue as stated in its corporate charter.
Automated Teller Machine (ATM)
A machine that allows customers to perform financial transactions like withdrawals, deposits, and transfers without human assistance.
Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR)
The average yearly increase in an investment or economic indicator over a specified period.
Average Annual Return (AAR)
The average yearly return on an investment over a specific period, usually expressed as a percentage.
Average Daily Trading Volume (ADTV)
The average number of shares or contracts traded per day over a specified time period.
Average Inventory
The average value of a company’s inventory over a certain period, calculated as the beginning and ending inventory divided by two.
Average Return
The mean of all returns on an investment over a specific period, indicating overall performance.
Back Office
The administrative and support functions of a business, such as accounting, HR, and IT, that do not directly deal with customers.
Back Stop
A financial arrangement where a party agrees to buy securities that are not purchased by other investors during a rights offering.
Back-to-Back Letters of Credit
Two linked letters of credit where one is issued to guarantee another, often used in international trade.
Backdoor Roth IRA
A method where high-income earners contribute to a traditional IRA and then convert it to a Roth IRA to bypass income limits on contributions.
Backflush Costing
A costing method where costs are recorded after production is complete, based on the output rather than tracking each process.
Backorder
An order for a product that is not currently in stock but will be fulfilled once the product becomes available.
Backtesting
The process of testing a trading strategy or model using historical data to assess its viability.
Backup Withholding
A tax withheld on certain types of income (e.g., interest, dividends) when the recipient fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number.
Backward Integration
A strategy where a company acquires or merges with suppliers or other businesses earlier in its supply chain to control production.
Backwardation
A market condition where the current price of an asset is higher than its futures price, often due to supply shortages.
Bad Debt Expense
The cost associated with receivables that cannot be collected, recorded as an expense on financial statements.
Bag Holder
An investor holding a poorly performing asset or stock, hoping it will eventually recover.
Bail Bond
A payment made to secure the temporary release of an accused individual, pending their court trial.
Bail-In
A process where a financial institution’s creditors and depositors bear some of the burden of rescuing the institution rather than external parties.
Bailout
Financial support provided by a government or entity to prevent the failure of a struggling business or economy.
Bait and Switch
A deceptive sales tactic where a product is advertised at a low price, only to be replaced by a higher-priced item at the point of sale.
Balance of Payments (BOP)
A record of all economic transactions between a country and the rest of the world over a specific period.
Beta
Measure of an asset’s volatility in relation to the overall market. Beta above 1 amplifies market moves.
Bond
Fixed income security issued by a corporation or government that pays interest.
Bond market
Marketplace where debt securities like government and corporate bonds are issued and traded.
Brokerage fee
Commission paid to a broker for executing buy and sell orders on an exchange.
Bullish
Optimistic outlook for a security or market indicating expectations of price gains.
Buyout
The acquisition of a company’s controlling interest, typically by purchasing its outstanding shares or assets.
Call option
Financial contract giving the option holder the right but not obligation to buy the underlying asset at a specified price on or before a specified date.
Capital
Amount of owner’s initial investment of cash or assets when starting a business.
Capital gain
Profit realized from the sale of securities, real estate, or other assets at a price higher than the purchase price.
Capital reduction
Corporate action decreasing a company’s share capital by reducing the par value of shares or number of shares outstanding.
Cash flow
Net amount of cash generated by a company’s business operations during a period.
Certificate of deposit (CD)
Short-term bank deposit paying fixed interest rate with fixed maturity date up to 5 years.
Collateral
Asset pledged by a borrower to secure a loan in case of default. Provides security to the lender.
Common stock
Equity security representing ownership in a corporation. Provides voting rights and a share of profits through dividends.
Compound interest
Interest calculated on initial principal and accumulated interest from preceding periods. Results in exponential growth over time.
Consensus estimate
Average of analysts’ earnings per share forecasts for a given company.
Convertible Debt
A type of loan that can be converted into equity shares of the issuing company at a later date.
Convertible security
Bond or preferred share that can be exchanged for a fixed number of common shares under specified conditions.
Correction
Temporary limited decline in asset prices following a sustained uptrend.
Correlation coefficient
Statistical measure of linear relationship between two variables ranging from -1 to +1.
Cost basis
Original dollar amount paid to acquire an asset, used to determine capital gains for tax purposes upon sale.
Coupon
The interest payment made to bondholders, typically expressed as a percentage of the bond’s face value.
Credit quality
Assessment of the creditworthiness of a borrower or bond issuer based on their expected ability to fulfill debt obligations.
Credit rating agency
Private company that evaluates the creditworthiness of debt security issuers. Main ones are Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch.
Current yield
Annual income from an investment divided by its current market price. Measures income relative to price paid.
Day trader
Individual investor who makes multiple trades daily aiming to profit from short-term price moves.
Decline
Fall in the price of a financial asset.
Defined contribution plan
Employer-sponsored retirement plan where employees allocate contributions among various investment options. Payout depends on account balance.
Derivative
Financial contract deriving value from an underlying asset like a commodity, currency, stock or market index.
Dividend
Distribution of a portion of a company’s net profits to shareholders, paid in cash or additional shares.
Dividend yield
Annual dividend per share divided by share price. Measures income paid to stockholders relative to share price.
Earnings per share
Net income attributable to each outstanding share of common stock.
Equity market
Stock market where shares of publicly listed companies are issued and traded between investors.
Equity Ownership
Holding shares or a stake in a company, giving the owner a portion of the company’s profits and losses.
Exchange-traded fund (ETF)
Basket of securities that trades on an exchange like a stock. Offers diversified, low-cost access to markets.
Financial asset
Asset in the form of a tradable financial instrument such as a stock, bond, or derivative contract. Its value is tied to market prices.
Fixed income
Category of investments paying fixed or variable interest to investors including bonds, money market instruments, preferred stock.
Fund manager
Professional responsible for investment decisions in a mutual fund or hedge fund.
Fundamental analysis
Evaluating a stock using economic and financial factors related to the underlying company. Assesses intrinsic value.
GFC (Global Financial Crisis)
A severe worldwide economic crisis that occurred in 2007-2008, triggered by the collapse of the housing bubble in the United States.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The total value of all goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific period.
Gross National Product (GNP)
The total value of all goods and services produced by a country’s residents, regardless of location, in a specific period.
High-Net-Worth Individual (HNWI)
An individual with a significant amount of liquid assets, typically over $1 million.
Income statement
Financial statement summarizing a company’s revenues, expenses, and net income over an accounting period.
Income tax
Annual tax imposed on personal income from wages, investments, business activities and capital gains.
Index fund
Passively managed mutual fund that replicates the composition and returns of a target market index.
Inflation
Sustained rise in the general price level across an economy over time. Erodes purchasing power of a currency.
Information asymmetry
Situation where some parties have more information resulting in an imbalance of power in transactions.
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
The process by which a private company offers its shares to the public for the first time to raise capital.
Interest Rate
The cost of borrowing money or the return on investment, expressed as a percentage of the principal amount.
Interest rate spread
Difference between two interest rates, often between rate where bank lends and borrows money.
Invested capital
Total amount originally invested by an investor into a given investment.
Investing
The act of allocating resources, usually money, into assets or ventures with the expectation of generating income or profit.
Investment
Asset purchased or deposited with the expectation of generating future income or appreciation.
Investment trust
Closed-end fund that invests in other securities like stocks and bonds. Trades on a stock exchange at market price.
Issuer
Entity that develops, registers and sells securities for financing purposes.
Junk bond
High-yield, high-risk bond rated below investment grade by credit rating agencies due to higher chances of default.
Leverage
Use of debt to amplify returns but also increases an investment’s overall risk exposure.
Liquidity
Degree to which an asset is readily tradable in the market without impacting its price. Cash is highly liquid.
Market capitalization
Total market value of a company’s outstanding shares trading on the stock market. Share price multiplied by number of shares outstanding.
Maturity
Date on which the principal amount of a debt security becomes due and payable to bondholders.
Merger
Combining of two companies into one new entity or absorbing one company into another.
Monetary policy
Central bank actions relating to money supply, interest rates, inflation targeting to achieve economic goals.
Money market fund
Low risk mutual fund that invests in liquid short term fixed income securities like cash, Treasury bills, commercial paper.
Net income
Remaining income after all expenses, depreciation, interest and taxes have been deducted.
New issue
First time public issuance and sale of securities by a private company or government entity.
Observation period
Pre-set time period over which a fund’s performance is measured and compared to its benchmark index.
Open-ended fund
Mutual fund that can issue and redeem shares on an ongoing basis. Holdings expand and contract based on flows.
Par value
Stated face value printed on a debt security. The amount repaid at maturity date.
Paying agent
Financial institution responsible for disbursing coupon payments to bondholders on behalf of the issuer.
Policy Easing
The process of reducing interest rates or increasing money supply to stimulate economic activity.
Policy Tightening
The process of raising interest rates or reducing money supply to curb inflation and slow economic growth.
Portfolio
Collection of financial assets like stocks, bonds, cash equivalents held by an investor.
Position
Stake in a financial asset created by purchasing or short selling shares.
Premium
Amount by which the purchase price of a security exceeds the face value when bought above par.
Price bubble
Unsustainable surge in asset prices fueled by speculation disregarding fundamentals.
Price-to-earnings (PE) ratio
Valuation ratio comparing a company’s current share price to its per-share earnings. Higher P/E suggests overvaluation.
Private Equity
Investment in private companies or buyouts of public companies, often involving direct management or restructuring.
Prospectus
Formal legal document filed by a company detailing required information for potential investors prior to issuing securities.
Public company
Corporation whose shares trade on a stock exchange. Also called publicly traded company.
Rate cut
Lowering of interest rates by the central bank to stimulate borrowing and economic growth.
Real estate investment trust (REIT)
Company owning and managing income-producing real estate assets. Shares trade on major exchanges.
Recession
A significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting for an extended period, typically defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.