A mental price or percentage set by traders where they will place a buy or sell order. A soft stop order is a position set by traders where they should buy or sell a security, however it is "soft" because it can be manipulated or changed depending on market conditions and special circumstances. While a regular stop order is an order which has already been placed to buy or sell a security at a certain point, soft stop orders are used as more of a guide for traders to consider buying or selling at a certain point, taking other factors such as market sentiment and momentum into consideration.
The currency abbreviation or currency symbol for the Mauritanian ouguiya (MRO), the currency for Mauritania. The Mauritanian ouguiya is made up of 5 khoums (Arabic for "one fifth") and is often presented with the symbol UM. Khoum and 1 ouguiya coins are rarely used in Mauritania, do to their low value. |||The Mauritanian ouguiya was first seen in 1973 when it replaced the CFA franc, the currency of the twelve formerly French controlled African countries, at a rate 5 to 1. The ouguiya, along with the Malagasy ariary (the currency of Madagascar), is one of only two currencies in circulation today that is non-decimal based. Both are divided into 5 sub-units rather than ten.
A measure of a firm's financial strength, calculated as follows: |||Many analysts, as well as some of the greatest investors of all time, place more weight on cash flow per share than earnings per share. Because EPS is more easily manipulated, its reliability can at times be questionable. Cash, on the other hand, is difficult - if not impossible - to fake. You either have cash or you don't. Therefore, cash flow per share is a useful measure for the strength of a firm and the sustainability of its business model.
A mutual fund that provides investors with a portfolio of a fixed or variable mix of the three main asset classes - stocks, bonds and cash equivalents - in a variety of securities. Some asset allocation funds maintain a specific proportion of asset classes over time, while others vary the proportional composition in response to changes in the economy and investment markets. Asset allocation mutual funds come in several varieties. Generally, a "balanced fund" implies a fixed mixed of stocks and bonds, such as 60% stocks and 40% bonds. "Life-cycle" or "target-date" funds, which are often used in retirement plans, usually have a mix of stocks, bonds and cash equivalent securities that starts out with a higher risk-return position and gradually become less risky as the investor ages and/or nears retirement. So-called "life-style," or actively-managed asset-allocation funds provide the active management of a fund's asset classes in response to market conditions.
A form of authentication issued by a bank or other financial institution that verifies the legitimacy of a signature and the signatory's overall request. This type of guarantee is often used in situations where financial instruments are being transferred. In most cases, the guarantor accepts all consequences in the event that the signature is fraudulent. With the number of crimes related to identity theft rising each year, using a signature guarantee service is a great way to prevent others from capitalizing on your identity in order to commit fraudulent acts. In order to provide some sort of signature guarantee, a financial institution must be a member of a recognized securities guarantee program, such as Medallion.
An economic condition in which investment capital is difficult to obtain. Banks and investors become wary of lending funds to corporations, which drives up the price of debt products for borrowers. Credit crunches are usually considered to be an extension of recessions. A credit crunch makes it nearly impossible for companies to borrow because lenders are scared of bankruptcies or defaults, which results in higher rates. The consequence is a prolonged recession (or slower recovery), which occurs as a result of the shrinking credit supply.
An investment strategy in which one investor allows a second investor to control where and how to invest the capital. The sidecar investment will usually be used when one of the parties lacks the ability or confidence to invest for themselves. The strategy will place trust in someone else's ability to gain profits. The word "sidecar" refers to a motorcycle sidecar; the person riding in the sidecar must place his or her trust in the driver's skills. This differs from coattail investing, where one investor mimics the moves of another. For example, suppose there are two individuals - Fred, who is experienced in trading stock, and Barney, who has a background in real estate. They decide to work together in a sidecar investing strategy. In this case, Fred would give Barney money to invest in real estate on his behalf and Barney would give Fred money to invest in stocks. This setup allows both Fred and Barney to diversify their portfolios and benefit from one another's expertise.
A measure of financial performance that looks at the company's ability to generate cash flow through its operations. It is calculated by adding back non-cash accounts such as amortization, depreciation, restructuring costs and impairments to net income.Also known as "After-Tax Cash Flow". |||CFAT is important for investors because it gauges a corporation's ability to pay dividends. The higher the CFAT, the better positioned a business is to make distributions. CFAT also measures the company's financial health and performance over time and in comparison to competitors.