
In financial assets, two parties enter into a contract which gives one party who invest the amount (investor) gets right to receive the financial benefit from the other party in which the amount is invested. Some of the examples of financial assets are bonds, derivatives, fixed deposit, equity shares, and insurance contracts, etc.
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What are the different types of financial assets?
Below is the list of Financial Assets Types –. A financial asset is basically liquid assets that derive their value from any contractual claim and major types of which include Certificate of Deposit, bonds, stocks, Cash or the Cash Equivalent, Loans & Receivables, Bank Deposits, and derivatives, etc.
What is common stock and preferred stock?
According to the Collins Dictionary website, Common stock is defined as: “shares in a company that are owned by people who have a right to vote at the company’s meetings and to receive part of the company’s profits after the holders of preferred stock have been paid.”
Where are common and preferred stock reported on the balance sheet?
Both common and preferred stock are reported in the stockholders’ equity section of the balance sheet. The proper presentation is shown below: In above example, the company is authorized to issue 100,000 shares of preferred stock and 2,000,000 shares of common stock.
What are the different classes of common stock?
There is no unified classification of common stock. However, some companies can issue two classes of common stock. In most cases, a company will issue one class of voting shares and another class of non-voting (or with lesser voting power) shares.

What kind of financial is preferred stock?
Preferred stock is a type of stock that offers different rights to shareholders than common stock. Preferred stock holders receive regular dividends and are repaid first in the event of a bankruptcy or merger.
What are common and preferred stocks?
Preferred shareholders have priority over a company's income, meaning they are paid dividends before common shareholders. Common stockholders are last in line when it comes to company assets, which means they will be paid out after creditors, bondholders, and preferred shareholders.
What category is common stock in accounting?
Common stock held as an investment by an individual or small business is considered an asset. It is classified this way due to the fact future benefits in the form of cash flow are expected by holding the stock.
What is an example of preferred stock?
Assume that a stockholder owns 100 shares of a corporation's 8% $100 par preferred stock. Each year, this stockholder must receive dividends on the preferred stock of $800 (8% X $100 = $8 per share X 100 shares) before the common stockholders are allowed to receive any cash dividends for the year.
Is a common stock an asset?
So, can common stock be classed as either an asset or a liability? No, common stock is neither an asset nor a liability. Common stock is an equity.
What are the basic characteristics of common stocks?
Features of Common Stocks?Dividend Right – Entitled to earn dividends.Asset Rights – Entitled to receive remaining assets in the event of a liquidation.Voting Rights – Power to elect the board of directors.Pre-emptive Rights – Entitled to receive consideration.
What type of assets are stocks?
Stocks are financial assets, not real assets. Financial assets are paper assets that can be easily converted to cash....Key TakeawaysStocks are financial assets, not real assets.A financial asset is a liquid asset that gets its value from a contractual right or ownership claim.More items...
What is common stock in financial management?
Common stock is a type of stock issued to the majority of shareholders in a company. Holders of common stock enjoy certain rights that their counterparts in preferred stock holders do not. Rather than receiving regular payouts, common stock holders derive value from their shares when the company grows.
Is common stock an equity?
Common stock is a form of corporate equity ownership, a type of security. The terms voting share and ordinary share are also used frequently outside of the United States. They are known as equity shares or ordinary shares in the UK and other Commonwealth realms.
What is the example of preferred?
Preferred sentence example. The house was quiet, the way he preferred it. He preferred the direct approach over any form of subtlety. In the case of a lawsuit the plaintiff preferred his own plea.
How do common stock and preferred stock gain access to capital?
While common stock is the most typical, another way to gain access to capital is by issuing preferred stock. The customary features of common and preferred stock differ, providing some advantages and disadvantages for each.
What is a class A stock?
A “family business” that has grown very large and become a public company may be accompanied by the creation of Class A stock (held by the family members) and Class B stock (held by the public), where only the Class A stock can vote. This enables raising needed capital but preserves ...
What is par value in stock?
Many states require that stock have a designated par value (or in some cases “stated value”). Thus, par value is said to represent the “legal capital” of the firm. In theory, original purchasers of stock are contingently liable to the company for the difference between the issue price and par value if the stock is issued at less than par. However, as a practical matter, par values on common stock are set well below the issue price, negating any practical effect of this latent provision.
What is call provision in preferred stock?
A call provision can effectively limit the upside value of an investment in preferred stock. Convertible. May be exchanged for common stock at a preagreed ratio (e.g., 3 shares of common for 1 share of preferred). A convertible preferred stock can effectively provide significant upside potential if the related common stock increases value.
When can a shareholder expect a dividend?
But, if the shareholder sells the stock before the ex-dividend date, the new shareholder can expect the dividend. In the illustrated time line, if one were to own stock on the date of declaration, that person must hold the stock at least until the “green period” to be entitled to receive payment.
Why do companies issue preferred?
For instance, a company can issue preferred that is much like debt (cumulative, mandatory redeemable), because a fixed periodic payment must occur each period with a fixed amount due at maturity.
Does dividend account reduce retained earnings?
Recall (from earlier chapters) that the Dividends account will directly reduce retained earnings (it is not an expense in calculating income; it is a distribution of income)! When the previously declared dividends are paid, the appropriate entry would require a debit to Dividends Payable and a credit to Cash.
What are some examples of assets?
Stocks, land, buildings, fixed assets , and other types of owned property are examples of assets. read more. and any income generated on the original amount of the investment. At the same time, the fair value of the units may diminish, which is a loss to the unit holder.
What is financial asset?
A financial asset is basically liquid assets that derive their value from any contractual claim and major types of which include Certificate of Deposit, bonds, stocks, Cash or the Cash Equivalent, Loans & Receivables, Bank Deposits, and derivatives, etc. You are free to use this image on your website, templates etc, ...
What is receivable in accounting?
is a contract under which one party allows another party to use the property for a specified time in return for a periodic payment. Such receivables are financial assets as it generates an asset to the company for the assets being used by another party.
What is cash equivalent?
Cash equivalents are highly liquid assets. Liquid Assets Liquid Assets are the business assets that can be converted into cash within a short period, such as cash, marketable securities, and money market instruments. They are recorded on the asset side of the company's balance sheet. read more.
What is preference shareholder?
Preference shareholders are the holders of preference shares, which give the holders the right to receive dividends; however, they do not carry any voting rights. Similar to debenture, these holders receive a fixed rate of dividend, whether the organization earns a profit nor incurs a loss. In the event of liquidation, preference shareholders have their claim on assets earlier than equity shareholders but later to debenture and bondholders.
What is mutual fund?
Mutual Funds A mutual fund is an investment fund that investors professionally manage by pooling money from multiple investors to initiate investment in securities individually held to provide greater diversification, long term gains and lower level of risks. read more.
What is fixed deposit facility?
A fixed deposit facility is a service given to the depositor to get interested along with the principal amount on the maturity date. Example: Depositor makes an FD of $100,000 with a bank @ 8% simple interest for 1 year. On the maturity date, the depositor will receive $100,000 and $8000 Interest.
What is the difference between common stock and preferred stock?
The main difference is that preferred stock usually does not give shareholders voting rights, while common stock does, usually at one vote per share owned. 1 Many investors know more about common stock than they do about preferred stock.
What is common stock?
Common Stock. Common stock represents shares of ownership in a corporation and the type of stock in which most people invest. When people talk about stocks, they are usually referring to common stock. In fact, the great majority of stock is issued in this form.
How does preferred stock work?
In fact, preferred stock functions similarly to bonds since with preferred shares, investors are usually guaranteed a fixed dividend in perpetuity. The dividend yield of a preferred stock is calculated as the dollar amount of a dividend divided by the price of the stock.
What is preferred shareholder?
Preferred shareholders have priority over a company's income, meaning they are paid dividends before common shareholders. Common stockholders are last in line when it comes to company assets, which means they will be paid out after creditors, bondholders, and preferred shareholders.
What is preferred stock in liquidation?
In a liquidation, preferred stockholders have a greater claim to a company's assets and earnings.
When are common stockholders last in line?
Common stockholders are last in line for the company's assets. 1 This means that when the company must liquidate and pay all creditors and bondholders, common stockholders will not receive any money until after the preferred shareholders are paid out.
When was the first common stock issued?
But keep in mind, if the company does poorly, the stock's value will also go down. The first common stock ever issued was by the Dutch East India Company in 1602. Preferred shares can be converted to a fixed number of common shares, but common shares don't have this benefit.
What are Financial Assets?
When companies do their taxes they have to report their assets to the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS considers two categories of assets; tangible and intangible. Intangible assets are non-physical assets that are hard to place a market value on and include things like trademarks, intellectual property and patents.
Types of Financial Assets
There are different types of financial assets that work in different ways, but all share the same characteristics. They are tangible in the eyes of the IRS, but considered financial assets by companies. The following are listed in order of liquid value.
Money
Money is the first asset that most people think of when they hear financial assets. Money is a tricky asset to explain because it appears that it comes in physical form. But the reality is that each bill of currency that someone holds is a simple contract with a government that declares that they will honor the amount printed on the bill.
What are the similarities between common stock and preferred stock?
Truthfully, there are very few similarities between common and preferred stock. The similarities include both types are issued to raise capital for the company, both types are eligible to earn dividend (guaranteed for preferred stockholders), both types are sold over major stock exchanges and both types have a claim against corporate assets in case ...
What is preferred stock?
Preferred stock is ideally suited for investors interested in a steady flow of income. The advantages of this investment option include earning annual dividends that are guaranteed and having preference over the company’s assets in case of liquidation.
What is common stock?
According to the Collins Dictionary website, Common stock is defined as: “shares in a company that are owned by people who have a right to vote at the company’s meetings and to receive part of the company’s profits after the holders of preferred stock have been paid. ”.
How to avoid buying weak stocks?
To avoid buying weak stocks, you should do some analysis or consult with a stock analyst. With a target stock in mind, you’ll go through your investment account to the market place where you’ll place an order for the stock you want to purchase.
What is common stock?
What is a Common Stock? Common stock is a type of security that represents ownership of equity in a company. Corporation A corporation is a legal entity created by individuals, stockholders, or shareholders, with the purpose of operating for profit. Corporations are allowed to enter into contracts, sue and be sued, own assets, ...
What are the sources of shareholder rights?
The main sources of shareholder rights are legislation in the company’s incorporation, corporate charter, and governance documents. Therefore, the rights of shareholders can vary from one jurisdiction to another and from one corporation to another.
What is dividend in business?
The shareholders usually receive a portion of profits through dividends. Dividend A dividend is a share of profits and retained earnings that a company pays out to its shareholders. When a company generates a profit and accumulates retained earnings, ...
Do common stock holders own assets?
In addition, in case of a company’s liquidation, holders of common stock own rights to the company’s assets. However, since common shareholders are at the bottom of the priority ladder, it is very unlikely that they would receive compensation in the event of liquidation. Moreover, common shareholders can participate in important corporate decisions ...
Is there a unified classification of common stock?
There is no unified classification of common stock. However, some companies may issue two classes of common stock. In most cases, a company will issue one class of voting shares and another class of non-voting (or with less voting power) shares. The main rationale for using dual classification is to preserve control over the company.
Can a corporation borrow money from a financial institution?
Corporations are allowed to enter into contracts, sue and be sued, own assets, remit federal and state taxes, and borrow money from financial institutions. . There are other terms – such as common share, ordinary share, or voting share – that are equivalent to common stock.
Can common stock owners profit from the capital appreciation of the securities?
Common stock owners can profit from the capital appreciation of the securities. Marketable Securities Marketable securities are unrestricted short-term financial instruments that are issued either for equity securities or for debt securities of a publicly listed company.
What is preferred stock?
Preferred stock is sold at a par value and paid a regular dividend that is a percentage of par. Preferred stockholders do not typically have the voting rights that common stockholders do, but they may be granted special voting rights. Preferred stock provides a simpler means of raising substantial capital than the sale of common stock does.
Why is preferred stock called preferred stock?
Preferred stock derives its name from the fact that it carries a higher privilege by almost every measure in relation to a company's common stock. Preferred stock owners are paid before common stock shareholders in the event of the company's liquidation.
What is deferred dividend?
The deferred dividends are essentially considered to be owed to the preferred stockholders, payable at some point in the future , but their deferral may be critical in helping a company bridge the gap over a period of financial difficulty.
Why are institutions more typically buyers of preferred stock than individual investors?
Because of tax advantages over retail investors, institutions are more typically buyers of preferred stock than individual investors, and the larger amount of capital available to institutions enables them to purchase large blocks of preferred stock.
Why do companies offer preferred stock?
Companies often offer preferred stock prior to offering common stock, when the company has not yet reached a level of success that would make it sufficiently attractive to large numbers of retail investors.
Is preferred stock an equity asset?
However, unlike bonds that are classified as a debt liability, preferred stock is considered an equity asset. Issuing preferred stock provides a company with a means of obtaining capital without ...
Do preferred stockholders have to pay dividends?
Preferred stockholders enjoy a fixed dividend that, while not absolutely guaranteed, is nonetheless considered essentially an obligation the company must pay. Preferred stockholders must be paid their due dividends before the company can distribute dividends to common stockholders. Preferred stock is sold at a par value ...
What is financial asset?
Financial assets are those liquid assets that arise from contractual agreements from owning equity instruments of another organization. Financial assets get their value from a contractual right and do not necessarily have a physical worth.
What is considered a liquid asset?
2) Cash and Cash Equivalents . Cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid assets and they include cash, cheques, treasury bills and other short-term investment securities. When companies have healthy amounts of cash and cash equivalents , they have the ability to meet short-term debt obligations.
Why is equity important?
Equity share is important because it represents an investor’s stake in a company. Shareholder’s equity can be calculated as a company’s share capital plus retained profits minus its total liabilities. When shareholders equity is positive it means the company has sufficient assets to recover its liabilities.
What is equity share?
Equity shares are ordinary shares that give the owners the right to vote, the right to receive dividends, and the right to have last claims in the event of liquidation.
What is derivative in finance?
10) Derivatives. Derivative is a contract whose value is based on underlying financial assets. The most commonly used derivatives are options, swaps, futures, forwards and warrants. Derivatives are used for mitigating risks or make speculation on an instrument.
Is fixed deposit taxable?
Fixed deposits can be easily renewed, and they are the safest investment instruments. Interest earned from the fixed deposit is taxable and the tax is deducted at the source.
Do preference shares have voting rights?
Preference shares give the shareholders the right to receive dividends, but the shareholders do not have any voting rights. Preference shares are for risk-averse equity investors because whether a company earns a profit or incurs loss a fixed rate of dividend will be given to preference shareholders.
What are the different types of financial assets?
Types of Financial Assets. The various types of assets are as follows: 1. Cash and the Cash Equivalents. These are the financial assets that are highly liquid current assets of the business such as the cash balance of the business, balance in the bank accounts of the business, cheques received from the parties but are yet to be cleared by the bank, ...
What are financial assets?
Financial assets are the intangible assets i.e., they cannot be physically touched but are the liquid assets whose values are derived from the contractual claims i.e., a contract is made between two parties where one entity that invests its money will get some contractual right to receive returns in the form of dividends, interests etc. from another entity in which the former invests its money and the examples of financial assets are cash and cash equivalents, bonds, marketable securities, mutual funds, etc.
What is equity share?
Equity Shares. Equity shares are the financial assets of the company when that company purchases equity shares issued by another company. This will be the financial asset for the company that purchased the equity shares and owners’ equity for the company that issued such equity shares.
What is fixed deposit certificate?
Fixed deposits refer to the amount that the business deposit with some other entity in the expectation of earning returns on such money deposited in the form of interest. For example, a company Z Incorporation deposited $50,000 as a fixed deposit for a period of 1 year in the bank and in return bank has promised to pay an interest @ 10% per annum to Z Incorporation. So fixed deposit certificate is given by the bank to the Investor so that certificate is the proof of the fixed deposit and will work as a contractual agreement between Z Incorporation and Bank where a bank will pay $55,000 (dollar 50,000 amount of money deposited Plus 5,000 interest) after the completion of 1 year period.
What is derivatives in finance?
Derivatives are the financial instruments or we can say it is a contract between two parties deriving its values from the underlying assets where such underlying asset can be index, commodities, stocks, interest rates, currencies, etc. The most commonly used derivative instruments are options, futures, swaps, etc.
What is the term for a financial asset where one party pays a premium to the insurance company?
Insurance Contracts. Insurance contracts are another type of financial assets where one party (known as a policy holder) pays a premium to the insurance companies to get the right of getting compensation at the time of occurrence of an uncertain future event in the business that results in the loss of the business.
What is mutual fund?
A mutual fund is a fund governed by the asset management company where they ask the small investors to give them money and in return, they provide them units of the mutual fund. So after collecting money from such investors, the mutual fund invests them in the financial market making a diversified portfolio of stocks.

Possible Preferred Stock Features
What Is Par?
- In the preceding discussion, there were several references to par value. Many states require that stock have a designated par value (or in some cases “stated value”). Thus, par value is said to represent the “legal capital” of the firm. In theory, original purchasers of stock are contingently liable to the company for the difference between the issue price and par value if the stock is issu…
A Closer Look at Cash Dividends
- Begin by assuming that a company has only common shares outstanding. There is no mandatory dividend requirement, and the dividends are a matter of discretion for the board of directors to consider. To pay a dividend the company must have sufficient cash and a positive balance in retained earnings (companies with a “deficit” (negative) Retained Earnings account would not pa…
Dividend Dates
- In observing the preceding entry, it is imperative to note that the declaration on July 1 establishes a liability to the shareholders that is legally enforceable. Therefore, a liability is recorded on the books at the time of declaration. Recall (from earlier chapters) that the Dividends account will directly reduce retained earnings (it is not an expense in calculating income; it is a distribution o…
The Presence of Preferred Stock
- Recall that preferred dividends are expected to be paid before common dividends, and those dividends are usually a fixed amount (e.g., a percentage of the preferred’s par value). In addition, recall that cumulative preferred requires that unpaid dividends become “dividends in arrears.” Dividends in arrearsmust also be paid before any distributions to common can occur. The follow…
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Accounts Receivable / Notes Receivables
- Companies follow the accrual concept and often sell to their customers on credit. The amount to be received from customers is called the Accounts Receivable net of an adjustment for bad debtsBad DebtsBad Debts can be described as unforeseen loss incurred by a business organization on account of non-fulfillment of agreed terms and conditions on account of sale of …
Fixed Deposits
- A fixed deposit facility is a service given to the depositor to get interested and the principal amount on the maturity date. Example:Depositor makes an FD of $100,000 with a bank @ 8% simple interest for one year. The depositor will receive $100,000 and $8000 Interest on the maturity date.
Equity Shares
- An equity shareholderEquity ShareholderA shareholder is an individual or an institution that owns one or more shares of stock in a public or a private corporation and, therefore, are the legal owners of the company. The ownership percentage depends on the number of shares they hold against the company's total shares.read more is a fractional owner who undertakes the maximu…
Debentures/ Bonds
- Debentures/bonds are a type of financial asset issued by a company giving the holders the right to receive regular interest payments on a fixed date and the principal repayment on maturity. Unlike dividends on equity shares, interest payments on debentureDebentureDebentures refer to long-term debt instruments issued by a government or corporation to meet its financial requirements…
Preference Shares
- Preference shareholders are the holders of preference shares, which give the holders the right to receive dividends; however, they do not carry any voting rights. Like debenture, these holders receive a fixed dividend rate, whether the organization earns a profit or incurs a loss. In liquidation, preference shareholders have their claim on assets earlier than equity shareholders but later to …
Mutual Funds
- Mutual funds collect money from small investors and invest such collected money in financial marketsFinancial MarketsThe term "financial market" refers to the marketplace where activities such as the creation and trading of various financial assets such as bonds, stocks, commodities, currencies, and derivatives take place. It provides a platform for sellers and buyers to interact an…
Interests in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures
- A company whose more than 50% stock is controlled by another company (parent companyParent CompanyA holding company is a company that owns the majority voting shares of another company (subsidiary company). This company also generally controls the management of that company, as well as directs the subsidiary's directions and policies.read m…
Insurance Contracts
- Based on IFRS 17, contracts under which a party (issuer) accepts significant insurance risk and agrees to compensate the other party (policyholder) if a specified uncertain future event which is also an insured event, adversely affects the policyholder, are insurance contracts. Hence, the value of the contract is derived from the risks that the policy covers. Life insurance policies pay t…
Rights and Obligations Under Leases
- A leaseLeaseLeasing is an arrangement in which the asset's right is transferred to another person without transferring the ownership. In simple terms, it means giving the asset on hire or rent. The person who gives the asset is “Lessor,” the person who takes the asset on rent is “Lessee.”read moreis a contract under which one party allows another party to use the property for a specified …