Equity shares are stocks because they represent ownership in a company from which a stockholder can claim a proportionate share of the company’s assets and earnings. Two of the most common equities are Common Stock and Preferred Stock. A preferred stock is a class of ownership in a corporation that has a higher claim on its assets and earnings than common stock. Preferred shares generally have a dividend that must be paid out before dividends to common shareholders, and the shares usually do not carry voting rights.
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