Common Stocks vs Preferred Stocks

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* When and why do corporations issue common and preferred stock? * For what reasons do corporations acquire treasury stock and how does treasury stock affect stockholders’ equity? Casandra Barrett 3/8/2013 Week 8 Class Discussion There are two types of stocks that corporations commonly issue. The first type is common stock and the second is preferred stock. Common stock allows the stockholders to elect members of a Board of Directors and to vote on corporate policy. Not all corporations issue preferred stock and they offer their members common stock. Common stock holders also have the option to receive dividends and make additional stock purchases. Preferred stock can have a higher claim on assets and earnings than common stock. Preferred stakeholders do not have voting rights. Each structure of preferred stocks are different depending on the corporation. Preferred stocks contain characteristics of both debt and equity. Normally preferred stocks are used when a corporation already has common shares and the stakeholders purchase these stocks in more interest in obtaining an income. Corporations can acquire a treasury stock by not selling all of the shares of the original stock. By keeping some of the share for the company itself, a treasury stock is created. When a company buys shares of its own stock it will actually increase the value of its stock because the shares will be taken out of the marketplace. By having a treasury stock it also can allow a company to generate cash if it is needed. A treasury stock can affect stockholders because if the company decides to sell the stock then the equity will decrease and the overall assets will also

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