Appendix C: How to Read Newspaper Stock Tables

 

Listed Stocks:

            *See figure C-1

52 weeks are represented on table.

            - High and Low prices

            - Codes after company name indicate high dividends, stock splits, foreign funds,

preferred holdings, etc.

            - Dividend amounts paid annually

            - Dividend yield % based on cash, not stock dividends

            - P/E - divide present price by earnings per share

            - Sales (VOL) tells how many shares were traded in the most recent session

            - High, low, and closing prices for the current day

            - Change in closing price from previous day

 

Over The Counter Stocks

            *See figure C-2

Two groups of OTC stocks:

1. Most actively traded - reported the same as listed stocks

2. Less actively traded - reported as in figure C-2

            - listed in pink sheets at a broker's office

            - bid price: what buyers are offering

            - asked price: what sellers are seeking

            * prices are guides, not actual numbers

            - the difference in amounts is profit for the marketplace broker