Investing Glossary

Paid-in capital refers to the amount of monetary capital that shareholders have contributed to the company.  Paid-in capital is one of the two main sources of shareholders’ equity. The other source of shareholders’ equity is retained earnings.  When individuals or companies contribute monetary capital to a corporation, they are issued stock shares in the corporation […]

Other revenue is a classification for revenue produced from sources outside of the company’s normal operations.  Other revenue is disclosed as a separate line item on a company’s profit and loss statement.   The items which constitute other revenue depend on the nature of the business. For example, a retailer will likely not consider interest income

Owners’ equity is the portion of a company’s balance sheet which represents the shareholders’ claim on the assets of the business.  Owner’s equity is calculated by subtracting liabilities from assets.  The three basic components of owners’ equity are (1) capital contributed from shareholders, (2) retained earnings, and (3) treasury stock.  Capital contributed from shareholders is

Outstanding stock refers to the number of common stock shares that are in the hands of shareholders.   When a corporation is formed, one of the documents which the individuals forming the corporation must file with the state is the articles of incorporation. The articles of incorporation specify, among other items, the maximum number of shares

A note receivable is a loan which a company has extended via a formal written agreement.   Because a note receivable represents funds owed to the company, the note receivable is an asset. Notes receivable expected to be settled within one year are classified as current assets. Notes receivable which are not expected to be settled

Operating income refers to the income derived from the firm’s normal business activities.  Operating income excludes interest expense, since interest expense is a financing cost rather than an operating cost. Operating income also excludes taxes, and any expenses or income derived from non-operating sources. Operating income differs from net income in that net income is

A company’s operating cycle is the number of days, on average, between the acquisition (or production) of inventory and the eventual sale of that inventory.  A company’s operating cycle is the sum of two metrics: days sales in inventory and days sales outstanding.   Days sales in inventory (DSI) indicates the average number of days to

Net income refers to a company’s revenues less all expenses.   Net income is also called net profit. A company generates a net profit when its revenues are greater than its expenses. A company generates a net loss when its expenses are greater than its revenues.  Net income differs from gross income in that gross income

Liquidity refers to the ability to convert assets to cash without significant impairment.   An asset which can be sold quickly without impairment is said to be highly liquid. An asset which cannot be sold quickly, or which can only be sold quickly at a significant discount to the asset’s fair value, is said to be

A limited liability company (LLC) is an entity formed under state statute which provides limited liability to its owners. Laws governing LLCs vary from state to state.  LLC owners are called members. These members can be individuals or other entities. Many LLCs designate a manager – either an individual or an entity – to oversee