Financial Security

A financial security is a tradable Financial Asset.

Economic Agents with excess funds provide capital to agents in need, and in exchange receive a Financial Instrument that represents some form of financial value.

Securities are the traditional way that commercial enterprises raise new capital.

Types

Features range from:

  1. Fixed claim on cash flows Residual claim on cash flows
  2. Higher priority in bankruptcy Lower priority in bankruptcy
  3. Payments are tax deductible Payments are not tax deductible
  4. Finite maturity infinite life
  5. Gives little say over company operations gives significant say over company operations

From left to right we represent these in a table

Debt SecuritiesHybrid Securities** Equity**
Bank DebtConvertible DebtCommon Stock
LeasesPreferred StockWarrants
Commercial Paper
Corporate Bonds