Business
Contributing to your 401k may not be the most glamorous topic in the investing world, but it is vital that you take advantage of this savings vehicle. Managed properly, the ability to set aside tax-deferred dollars to invest for your retirement will make an enormous contribution toward achieving your goals in the future while simultaneously […]
When a company gives you stock options as part of your compensation package, they’re essentially offering you partial ownership. However, your options usually must vest first, meaning you need to work for the company for a period of time if you want to actually receive that ownership stake. Companies generally use vesting to encourage you […]
As with any investment, knowing exactly when to sell employee stock options for maximum value is an impossible task. Markets are unpredictable as a whole and when we narrow our view to predicting the short-term fluctuations in price of a single stock, you may do just as well flipping a coin. Layer in the fact […]
In the words of the esteemed Warren Buffet, “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” While this core component of Buffet’s investment process certainly has merit, all too often the principle is taken to extremes by individuals with robust compensation programs in their own company’s equity. After all, what business could you understand more […]
At the top of nearly all publicly traded organizations, you’ll find key employees restricted from trading company stock for designated portions of each calendar year; typically, a window of time before and after all major financial reporting deadlines and surrounding any large events like mergers and acquisitions. These restrictions exist because such individuals are privy […]
A lever works by reducing the amount of force required to move an object by increasing the distance through which the force acts. In the world of investing, leverage appears everywhere and is the act of using “borrowed” financial instruments (the lever) to increase the return on an investment. In our case, the fixed exercise […]
Not to be confused with options traded by retail investors, employer stock options are a form of compensation used commonly by both start-up firms and well-established public corporations. Essentially, an employer stock option is a contract between employer and employee that grants the employee the right to purchase a stated number of company shares at […]