02. Equities, property & alternative investments Flashcards
What 2 factors affect share prices in the long-term?
Examples?
- Economic factors.
- Political factors.
E.g. changes in inflation, productivity, growth.
What 4 factors affect share prices in the short-term?
- Investor sentiment.
- Profit/dividend expectations.
- Takeover activity.
- Quality of management.
What is the Primary market?
A market in which securities are sold for the first time to investors to raise money for businesses.
What is the Secondary market?
A market in which securities that have already been issued can be bought and sold between investors.
The AIM is an ___ market and the shares traded on the AIM are described as ___ or ___ but not ___.
- unregulated
- traded or quoted but not listed.
Who is the AIM designed for?
Companies too small and/or too new to apply for a full listing which is demanding and expensive.
Name 4 costs involved in buying and selling shares.
- Commission.
- Stamp duty.
- SDRT.
- PTM levy.
What is the spread?
The difference between the offer price (at which an investor can buy shares) and the bid price (at which they can be sold).
Will the spread on smaller company shares be narrower or wider and why?
Wider, reflecting their reduced liquidity and smaller number of market makers prepared to quote a price.
Name 2 ways commission will be charged.
- Flat fee.
- A % (potentially tiered).
When is stamp duty paid?
When shares are bought using a stock transfer paper form if the transaction is > £1,000.
When is SDRT paid?
When shares are bought electronically through the CREST system (no min £).
What is the rate of tax for stamp duty & SDRT and who pays this?
- 0.5%.
- The purchaser.
How is payment for stamp duty & SDRT rounded?
- Stamp duty: rounded up to next multiple of £5.
- SDRT: rounded to nearest penny.
What is the PTM levy charge and when does it apply?
- £1 flat rate charge.
- Applies to all trades of £10,000 or more.
What do preference shares usually pay?
A fixed rate of dividend half yearly, if sufficient after-tax profits.
Are there voting rights attached to preference shares?
Generally no, unless payment of dividends has fallen into arrears.
Where do preference shares rank in liquidations?
Ahead of ordinary share capital but after loan capital and all other creditors.
How do the yields of preference shares compare to those of bonds?
They are higher to compensate for their lower security & the risks involved.
Name 5 types of preference share.
- Cumulative.
- Non-cumulative.
- Participating.
- Redeemable.
- Convertible.
What are cumulative preference shares?
If company has insufficient profits in 1 year to pay the cumulative ps dividend, the shortfall must be carried forward & paid before other lower class shareholders can receive any payment even if that takes many years.
What are non-cumulative preference shares?
These lose the right to receive any unpaid dividend at the end of the financial year, & no arrears are due when dividend payments resume.
What are participating preference shares?
These pay a fixed rate of dividend & also allow the holder to participate in company profits. They receive an additional dividend that is usually a proportion of any ordinary dividend declared.
What are redeemable preference shares?
They represent a temporary source of finance for the company. Dividends will be paid to the shareholder for a short period and the share will then be repaid.
What are convertible preference shares?
These carry the right to be converted into ordinary shares at pre-set dates and on pre-set terms if the holder chooses to.
Ordinary shareholders are the ___ to be paid out in the event of liquidation.
last
What 2 things do ordinary shareholders have a right to?
- To share in the profits of a company (after tax and preference share dividends have been paid out).
- To attend and vote at company general meetings.
What is the usual ratio of ordinary shares to votes?
1 ordinary share = 1 vote.
Name 3 other types of ordinary share.
- Non-voting.
- Deferred.
- Alphabet shares.
What can non-voting ordinary shares be used for & how does their market price compare to voting ones?
- To keep the control of a company in the hands of a few shareholders whilst raising capital.
- Usually lower.
What are deferred ordinary shares?
They don’t usually qualify for a dividend until the dividend on the ordinary shares has reached a pre-determined level, or until a specific period after their issue but
shareholders may have greater voting rights, or become entitled to a larger proportion of the profits after the deferred period.
What are alphabet shares?
Different classes each having different rights regarding voting, dividends & capital.
Name 7 risks from holding shares.
- Equity capital risk.
- Share dividend volatility.
- Currency risk.
- Liquidity risk.
- Counterparty risk.
- Fund managers & insurance companies.
- Regulatory risk.
Name 4 things that could lead to poor performance of shares.
- Poor management.
- State of the economy.
- Geopolitical events e.g. war
- Technology/fashion.
Name 2 factors that can affect liquidity.
- Notice periods.
- Penalties for early encashment.
What is counterparty risk?
The risk that the organisation with which an investment is placed will fail.
in which markets is regulatory risk greatest?
Developing or emerging markets.
Name 3 things regulatory risk can include.
- Investors being misled.
- Inefficient market mechanisms.
- Market manipulation.
What does private equity involve?
Providing medium to long-term finance in return for an equity stake in or acquiring potentially high growth companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange.
List 4 potential exit strategies a private equity firm might consider.
- Selling its shares back to the management team.
- Selling its shares to another private equity firm.
- Selling shares to another company (trade sale).
- The company achieving a stock market listing.
Most UK private equity funds seek to raise money for investment from who?
Institutional investors e.g. pension funds & insurance companies.
Typically, private equity funds will aim to invest in the chosen company for between ___ and ___ before completing their exit.
3 and 7 years
How can retail investors gain access to private equity funds?
Via a fund of funds - a type of private equity company which invests in funds that invest in unlisted companies.
What are the 2 types of listed private equity investment companies?
- Those that invest directly in unlisted companies.
- Those that invest in funds that invest in unlisted companies (funds of funds).
Listed private equity investment companies are a form of collective investment where the investment company is established as a ___ vehicle so is a form of ___.
- closed-ended
- investment trust.
Listed private equity investment companies are traded on the ___ and are eligible for inclusion in ___.
- LSE
- Stocks & Shares ISAs.
Name 3 drawbacks of private equity securities.
- Less liquid than other securities.
- Can be sold less readily in large amounts.
- Transaction costs are higher.
What trends does EPS enable investors to see?
Trends in a company’s profitability.
What is the formula for Earnings per share (EPS)?
PAOSH / No.ofordinaryshares in issue.
(*) = net profit left after tax, minority interests & preference dividends.
What does the dividend yield measure?
The dividend as a % return on the current share price.