Equity Flashcards
A company selling shares is … required to repay the capital to its public investors
never
Shares represent residual corporate interest that …
- … bears the risks of the losses
- … receives the benefits of success
- … no guaranteed dividends or assets upon dissolution.
Ordinary shares
Represent the basic ownership interest.
- To share proportionately in profits and losses
- To share proportionately in management (right to vote).
- To share proportionately in new issues of shares (preemptive right).
Preference shares
Sacrifice certain basic rights in return for other special rights:
- Preferred dividends (cumulative and non-cumulative)
- No voting rights (not always)
- Alternatively: more rights per share
- Convertible in ordinary shares
- Callable firm
Equity
Residual interest in the firm’s assets after deducting all liabilities.
Two primary sources of equity
- Contributed capital (Ordinary/Preference shares: share premium)
- Retained earnings
Two types of issuance:
- at “par value” : company maintains two accounts separately for preference and ordinary shares.
- at “non-par value” : just the account (share capital)
Costs of issuing shares:
- Direct costs: underwriting costs, accounting/legal fees
- Reduction of the amount paid-in -> debit to share Premium (no recording of expense)
Lump-sum sales
- Issuing two or more classes of securities for a single payment.
2 ways to account for lump-sum
- Proportional: allocate lump sum on a proportional basis of fair values.
- Incremental method: allocate first securities with known fair value, rest to the class without fair value.
Shares issued in non-cash transactions
- ## shares issued in exchange for services or property other than cash.
What are the benefits/incentives for coporations to purchase their outstanding shares back?
- To provide tax-efficient distributions of excess cash to shareholders.
- To increase earnings per share and return on equity.
- To provide shares for employee compensation contracts or to meet potential merger needs.
- To better fight hostile takeover attempts or to reduce the number of shareholders.
- To make a market in the shares.
What happens after re-acquiring?
either:
- Shares are retired, OR
- Shares are held in “treasury” account -> treasury shares
Facts on treasury shares
Treasury shares are not an asset!
- Reduction in assets and equitity
- No voting rights
- Basically the same as unissued ordinary shares.
Treasury shares may be re-issued.
Treasury shares: cost method
idea: account for the cost of buying back the shares.
Debit : “treasury shares (bs) account
Credit : “Cash (bs) account
Report “treasury shares” account as a deduction from equity on the balance sheet. (contra-equity account).