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Meaning / Definition of

Inflation-protected Security (TIPS)

Categories: Finance,

us treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) adust the principal twice a year to reflect inflation or deflation measured by the consumer price index (CPI). The interest rate is fixed and is paid twice a year on the adjusted principal. So if your principal is larger because of inflation you earn more interest. If it's lower because of deflation, you earn less.You can buy TIPS with terms of 5, 10, or 20 year at issue using a TreasuryDirect account or in the secondary market. At maturity you receive either the adjusted principal or par value, whichever is greater. You owe federal income tax on the interest you earn and on inflation adjustments in each year they're added even though you don't receive the increases until the security matures. However, TIPS earnings are exempt from state and local income taxes.These securities provide a safeguard against deflation as well as against inflation since they guarantee that you'll get back no less than par, or face value, at maturity.

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Definition / Meaning of

Preference Shares

Categories: Stocks, Fundamental Analysis, Accounting,

capital stock which provides a specific dividend that is paid before any dividends are paid to common stock holders, and which takes precedence over common stock in the event of a liquidation. Like common stock, preference shares represent partial ownership in a company, although preferred stock shareholders do not enjoy any of the voting rights of common stockholders. Also unlike common stock, preference shares pay a fixed dividend that does not fluctuate, although the company does not have to pay this dividend if it lacks the financial ability to do so. The main benefit to owning preference shares are that the investor has a greater claim on the company's assets than common stockholders. Preferred shareholders always receive their dividends first and, in the event the company goes bankrupt, preferred shareholders are paid off before common stockholders. In general, there are four different types of preferred stock: cumulative preferred stock, non-cumulative preferred stock, participating preferred stock, and convertible preferred stock. also called preferred stock.

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