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preferred stock

finance
Also known as: preference share, preference stock

Quick Summary

Preferred stock is a type of equity security that offers a fixed dividend payment and ranks higher than common stock in a company's capital structure. It is considered a hybrid security, combining features of both debt and equity financing. Unlike common stock, preferred stockholders typically do not have voting rights. The fixed return makes it less volatile than common stock, but it also limits potential price appreciation. In cases of bankruptcy, preferred stockholders are paid after creditors but before common stockholders.1

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