Stock FAQs

how to find the transfer agent for a stock

by Ms. Dovie Wunsch I Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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To replace them, call the investor relations department of the issuing company to find the name of the transfer agent for that company's stock. The transfer agent maintains the record of all stock issued and to whom, and can send you new share certificates after you have filled out certain legal forms and paid the required fees.

Most issuers identify their transfer agent on their company website under the “Investor Relations” tab. You may need to contact the company directly to obtain the transfer agent's name and contact information.

Full Answer

How to choose a stock transfer agent?

  • The change requires board approval
  • The current agent may have a penal termination clause in its contract that first needs to be amended, or “waited out”
  • Drastically lower fees at the new agent could indicate the company will be that much less important there (a potentially meaningful unintended consequence)

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What is the purpose of a stock transfer agent?

Transfer Agents Responsibilities:

  • Meeting with company directors and financial managers to discuss stock purchases and transfers.
  • Providing advice on purchasing securities.
  • Buying and selling stocks and bonds.
  • Buying and selling commodities.
  • Evaluating financial markets and assessing the performance of particular securities.

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What are the responsibilities of a transfer agent?

What Is A Transfer Agent?

  • Rules & regulations. A transfer agent is well-versed in the complexities of SEC rulings and state regulations for trading and tracking securities.
  • Maintaining records. One of the core responsibilities of a transfer agent is maintaining and managing records for their clients.
  • Payments & reporting. ...
  • IPO services. ...

What does a stock transfer agent do?

A stock transfer agent, transfer agent, share registry or transfer agency is an entity, usually a third party firm unrelated to security transactions, that manages the change in ownership of company stock or investment fund shares, maintains a register of ownership and acts as paying agent for the payment of dividends and other distributions to investors.

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How do I contact a transfer agent?

Contact Transfer AgentU.S. and Canada toll-free: 1-888-201-5538.International callers: 1-201-680-6578.TDD for hearing impaired (US and Canada): 1-800-490-1493.TDD for hearing impaired (International): 781-575-4592.

How much does a stock transfer agent cost?

Transfer Agent Fees To Issue Registered Stock CertificateCompanySymbolTransfer Agent FeeAlibaba GroupBABA$25AlphabetGOOGL$0AmazonAMZN$0AMCAMC$093 more rows

Is a transfer agent the same as a broker?

Transfer agents maintain a record of ownership, including contact information, of an issuer's registered shareholders. Brokers maintain the records of beneficial shareholders.

Is a transfer agent required?

For private companies, all the basic functions of a transfer agent are needed—maintaining the official record of ownership, issuing stock certificates, cancelling stock certificates, exchanging or converting securities, and managing distributions to stockholders—but it's not required that they be performed by a ...

How does a transfer agent work?

Transfer agents work for the security issuer to record changes of ownership, maintain the issuer's security holder records, cancel and issue certificates, and distribute dividends. Transfer agents are usually banks or trust companies, but sometimes a company acts as its own transfer agent.

Can a transfer agent sell stock?

Once the transfer agent receives the shares and puts them into the book entry system under your name, you can sell the shares. You'll need to contact the transfer agent, via mail or telephone, and ask that the shares are sold.

Is Fidelity a transfer agent?

Fidelity has been registered with the Commission as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act since 2010.

Is TD Ameritrade a transfer agent?

Contact your transfer agent and obtain a current account statement, then submit your account statement to TD Ameritrade along with a completed TD Ameritrade Transfer Form. Be sure to indicate how you would like your shares transferred by making a selection in Section 3-D of the form.

Who are the biggest transfer agents?

Computershare holds 56.4% of the market share, followed by Equiniti Trust Co (19.2%), American Stock Transfer & Trust (15.6%), and Broadridge (7%). These four transfer agents account for over 98.2% of the S&P 500 market.

How do I select a transfer agent?

8 Tips on Selecting a Stock Transfer AgentSeek out quality service and professionalism in your transfer agent. ... Evaluate their experience and reputation. ... Be vigilant to avoid miscommunication. ... Ask the right questions. ... Know that the transfer agent can perform the services that you need.More items...

What is an example of a transfer agent?

A transfer agent tracks and maintains the records of an organization's shareholders. Some examples of transfer agents are financial companies, trust companies, banks or individuals. Listed firms often assign the management of their shareholders' data to a transfer agent.

How are transfer agents paid?

Transfer agents pay distributions to investors, based on the registrar's records. For example, transfer agents send interest payments to bondholders, as well as the face value of their bonds, once they reach maturity.

What is a transfer agent?

A transfer agent play s a vital role in acting as a liaison between a company's registrar and an investor. Transfer agents closely maintain an investor's account balances and electronically maintain certificates of security ownership.

What is mutual fund transfer?

Mutual fund transfer agents differ from stock transfer agents in that the former never issue physical certificates, where the latter must do so, on shareholder request. However, mutual fund transfer agents perform many other important tasks, like maintaining records of shareholders' accounts, overseeing dividend payments, and responding to shareholder requests for account statements, income tax forms, and transaction confirmations.

What does a common stock shareholder vote on?

Common and preferred stock shareholders have the right to vote on major corporate decisions, such as merger activities and the sale of companies. These votes are facilitated through transfer agents who send proxy information to shareholders.

Do shareholders get accurate information?

All shareholders are entitled to accurate information about their investments. While some corporations choose to act as their own transfer agents, other companies decide to use third-parties like trust companies, banks, or similar financial institutions. These companies receive fees for their services.

How to choose a transfer agent?

When deciding on transfer agents, opt for the one with a better service team. It is essential to have a trusting, reliable transfer agent that can provide consistent and high-quality customer service. 2. Evaluate their experience and reputation. Don’t forget to ask the transfer agent about their experience in the field.

What is transfer agent?

A transfer agent is a company or financial institution that helps manage securities recordkeeping duties for private and public entities. Transfer agents perform many functions, including but not limited to: ensuring compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following an initial public offering (IPO) or private placement, ...

What is the importance of selecting a transfer agent?

Selecting the right transfer agent for your company is a critical decision that not only affects the level and quality of service you receive as the issuer, but also the satisfaction of your investors and their perception of your company.

How to contact Colonial Stock Transfer?

For more information about hiring a transfer agent, please contact Colonial Stock Transfer sales department at 877-285-8605, or complete this contact form. Authors Dan Carter |.

Do transfer agents have to be audited by the SEC?

Make sure they know what they are talking about – SEC registered transfer agents are required to be audited by an external CPA firm annually and by the SEC at any time. This doesn’t guarantee anything but is important. When deciding on transfer agents, opt for the one with a better service team.

Full Transfer Agent List

Here you can find a full list on transfer agents including rankings and more information transfer agent list.

Choosing a Transfer Agent

Discover useful tips for finding the best TA for your company. Do you want to outsource? Are you private?

Service Provider Search

We can help you locate brokers, market makers, securities attorneys, EDGAR filing agents, money raisers and crowdfunding best suited for you.

Transfer Agent Search

Use our search functionality to look up the transfer agent for a specific issuer. Under the issuer’s profile you can find a stock chart, news and more.

Fee Estimator

Our fee estimator experts will provide an estimate of fees for your company and then recommend suitable transfer agents based on your needs.

What is transfer agent?

Meaning of Transfer Agent 1 A transfer agent manages the records of an organization’s shareholders by acting as an intermediary between the two. Examples include financial companies, trust companies, banks or individuals. 2 They are responsible for recording and updating shareholders’ names, addresses, contact details, dividend information, issue and cancellation of new share certificates, etc. 3 They maintain shareholders’ records, cancel and issue new share certificates whereas a registrar registers the details when shares are issued in an authorized register on behalf of the company.

What are transfer agents responsible for?

read more#N#to the shareholders. They are also responsible for paying interest on the due date. The agents report the dividend and interest payments to the Internal Revenue Service for tax purpose.

What is a shareholder?

Shareholders A 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. .

What is a stock certificate?

Share Certificates Stock Certificate, also called a Share Certificate, is a legal document evidencing the ownership of stocks in a Company, including details like the stockholder’s name, issuing date, the total number of stocks issued, identification number, and the corporate seal & sign. read more. .

What are some examples of transfer agents?

Some examples of transfer agents are financial companies, trust companies, banks or individuals. Listed firms often assign the management of their shareholders’ data to a transfer agent. For instance, Amazon’s transfer agent is Computershare. Amazon has provided its shareholders with the agent’s contact details to help them update their names, ...

Why does the market capitalization of a company remain unchanged during a stock split?

The company's market capitalization remains unchanged during a stock split because, while the number of shares grows, the price per share decreases correspondingly. read more. split or dividend, the agent is responsible for recording and issuing the new shares.

What is an agent in a company?

The agents bridge the gap between the shareholders and the company by timely delivery of the dividends. They are responsible for mailing the annual reports and audited financial statements to the shareholders. Also, the agents help shareholders with materials guiding on their voting rights, roles and how to exercise it when the situation occurs.

What happens if you lose a stock certificate?

Whether you have misplaced or accidentally destroyed a certificate for stock you know you own, or are dealing with an estate that you believe owned shares of stock that can't be located, a few steps may lead to recovery of the missing shares. The Social Security number or tax ID and name of the registered owner – and in some cases ...

What happens if you move from one town to another?

A person moving from one town to another may forget to close a safe deposit box containing stock certificates . If the bank is unable to locate the client, the safe-deposit box is cleaned out and the contents becomes the property of the state through a process called escheatment. Each state has different rules regarding the recoverability of escheated property within specified time limits.

Can you find a deceased relative's stock?

Sometimes you know a deceased relative held a position in a stock he swore never to sell, but you can't find the certificates or evidence of a current position in that stock at his brokerage firm. If your lost shares are long-term stock holdings, check to see if the company you remember was acquired or changed its name.

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