This Standard & Poor's index serves as a barometer for the U.S. mid-cap equities sector and is the most widely followed mid-cap index in existence. To be included in the index, a stock must have a total market capitalization that ranges from roughly $750 million to $3 billion dollars. Stocks in this index represent household names from all major industries including energy, technology, healthcare, financial and manufacturing. Taobiz explains S&P MidCap 400 Index Like many other stock market indexes, the S&P 400 MidCap Index is a value-weighted index, meaning that the stocks with the largest market capitalization have the most significant impact on the movement of the index. Similarly, smaller movements in the smallest companies in the index have virtually no effect on the overall movement of the index. This is an important fact to remember for investors seeking diversification, as market-cap weighted index funds primarily expose an investor to the movements of a small group of stocks, despite the broad name of the index itself.
The Standard and Poor's revised version of the measurement of core earnings, which excludes any gains related to pension activities, net revenues from the sale of assets, impairment of goodwill charges, prior-year charge and provision reversals, and settlements related to litigation or insurance claims. Expenses related to employee stock option grants, pensions, restructuring of present operations or any merger and acquisition costs, R&D purchases, write-downs of depreciable or amortizable operating assets, and unrealized gains/losses from hedging activities are all included in the core earnings. Taobiz explains S&P Core Earnings This is a new standard created by S&P with the assistance from the financial and investment community. These core earnings provide for transparency and consistency, as well as a more stringent definition of a company's core earnings, clearly setting out exactly what can and cannot be considered earnings and expenses.
A bond that is guaranteed by a party other than the issuer. Also called a "joint-and-several bond." |||These are commonly used when a parent company is required to guarantee the bonds of a subsidiary.
A market-capitalization-weighted index developed by Standard and Poor's consisting of those stocks within the S&P 500 Index that exhibit strong value characteristics. The S&P 500/Citigroup Value Index uses a numerical ranking system based on four value factors and three growth factors to determine the constituents and their weightings. Taobiz explains S&P 500/Citigroup Value Index The value factors include: 1. Book value to price ratio 2. Cash flow to price ratio 3. Sales to price ratio 4. Dividend yield The growth factors include: 1. Five-year earnings per share growth rate 2. Five-year sales per share growth rate 3. Five-year internal growth rate Value and growth style scores are calculated based on the standardized factors.
Companies that have had an increase in dividends for 25 consecutive years. The S&P Dividend Aristocrats index tracks the performance of these companies. A dividend aristocrat tends to be a large blue-chip company. Watch: Dividend Taobiz explains S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats The recession of 2008/2009 caused many financial institutions, such as the Bank of America, to be removed from the list. Dividend aristocrats tend to be some of the most well-known companies, such as McDonald's, Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble. Companies can also be removed from the S&P Dividend Aristocrats index if they fail to increase their dividends from the previous year.
Holding all other maturities constant, this measures the sensitivity of a security or the value of a portfolio to a 1% change in yield for a given maturity.The calculation is as follows:Where:P- = Security's price after a 1% decrease in yield P+ = Security's price after a 1% increase in yield P0 = Security's original price |||There are 11 maturities along the Treasury spot rate curve, and a key rate duration is calculated for each. The sum of the key rate durations along a portfolio yield curve is equal to the effective duration of the portfolio.
An exchange-traded fund that invests in Russian stocks, either through local stocks directly or via American depositary receipts (ADRs) and global depositary receipts listed on U.S. and European exchanges. Russia ETFs seek to replicate broad market Russian averages; invested assets may represent a high portion of the net market capitalization of all publicly traded Russian stocks. Watch: Understanding ETF Taobiz explains Russia ETF Another source of investing into Russian equities would be to buy "BRIC" ETFs, which invest within Brazil, Russia, India and China. Russia, along with the other BRIC nations, is considered one of the brightest emerging markets in the world. Although Russian equities have not always done well, Russia does have many rich natural resources such as oil, timber, metals and diamonds.
A contract between a parent company and its subsidiary to maintain solvency and financial backing throughout the term set in the agreement. |||This is a method by which subsidiary companies may increase the creditworthiness of debt instruments and corporate borrowing.