-
Beta
Beta is a measure of an investment’s relative volatility. The higher the beta, the more sharply the value of the investment can be expected to fluctuate in relation to a market index. For example, Standard & Poor’s 500-stock Index (S&P 500) has a beta coefficient (or base) of 1. That means if the S&P 500 moves 2% in either direction, a stock with a beta of 1 would also... -
Bond ETF
A type of exchange-traded fund (ETF) that exclusively invests in bonds. Bond ETFs are very much like bond mutual funds in that they hold a portfolio of bonds and can differ widely in strategies, ranging from U.S. Treasuries to high yields, from long-term to short-term. Bond ETFs trade like stocks and are passively managed. A bond ETF trades throughout the day and is therefore more liquid than a mutual... -
Buyback
The repurchase of outstanding shares (repurchase) by a company in order to reduce the number of shares on the market. Companies will buy back shares either to increase the value of shares still available (reducing supply), or to eliminate any threats by shareholders who may be looking for a controlling stake. A buyback allows companies to invest in themselves. By reducing the number of shares outstanding on the market,... -
Call
In the bond markets, a call is an issuer’s right to redeem bonds it has sold before the date they mature. With preferred stocks, the issuer may call the stock to retire it, or remove it from the marketplace. In either case, it may be a full call, redeeming the entire issue, or a partial call, redeeming only a portion of the issue. When a bank makes a secured... -
Capital Structure Arbitrage
Investment strategy in which an undervalued security is bought and the same firm’s overvalued security is sold. Its objective is to profit from the pricing inefficiency in the issuing firm’s capital structure with the expectation that the pricing disparity between the two securities will cancel out (converge). (Source: WebFinance, Inc) -
Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
The CFP legal team has provided its official definition, along with trademarks: CFP and Certified Financial Planner marks are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. These marks are awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Those wanting to become a CFP professional must take extensive exams in the areas of financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning... -
Charted Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA)
A professional designation given out by the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association to establish an educational standard for individuals that specialize in the area of alternative investments (such as hedge funds, venture capital, private equity and real estate investment). In order to receive the designation, individuals must have at least one year of professional experience, a U.S. bachelor’s degree and must pass two levels of curriculum that include topics...
