What Is ActiveX? ActiveX is a software framework from Microsoft (MSFT) that allows applications to share functionality and data with one another through web browsers, regardless of what programming language they’re written in. ActiveX add-ons allowed early web browsers to embed multimedia files or deliver software updates to users. Microsoft introduced ActiveX in 1996. Many
An activist investor, typically a specialized hedge fund, buys a significant minority stake in a publicly traded company in order to change how it is run. The activist investor’s goals may be as modest as advising company management or as ambitious as forcing the sale of the company, divestitures or restructuring, or replacing the board
What Is an Activity Charge? An activity charge is a fee charged by banks in response to specific account activities, such as transferring funds between accounts, withdrawing funds using an automated teller machine (ATM), or when a checking account does not meet its minimum deposit requirement. The exact activity charges made by a bank will
What Is an Activity Cost Driver? An activity cost driver is an action that triggers higher or lower variable costs for a business. Sometimes referred to as a causal factor, it is associated with the managerial accounting concept of activity-based costing (ABC). Keeping tabs on activity cost drivers is important as it can help boost efficiency and company profits. Key
What Is an Activity Ratio? An activity ratio is a type of financial metric that indicates how efficiently a company is leveraging the assets on its balance sheet, to generate revenues and cash. Commonly referred to as efficiency ratios, activity ratios help analysts gauge how a company handles inventory management, which is key to its
What Is an Act of God Bond? An act of God bond is an insurance-linked security issued by an insurance company to establish a reserve against unforeseen catastrophic events. Act of God bonds can help insurers raise funds since it can be challenging building enough reserves or money to cover the costs of large-scale disasters.
What Are Actuals? The term “actuals” refers to the homogeneous commodities that are the underlying basis for futures trading. Actuals can be any commodity, but some commonly traded commodities include crude oil, heating oil, natural gas, gold, copper, silver, platinum, wheat, corn, and soy. The actuals making up the most liquid contracts see seasonal shifts
What Are the Actual Deferral Percentage (ADP) & Actual Contribution Percentage (ACP) Tests? The Actual Deferral Percentage (ADP) and Actual Contribution Percentage (ACP) tests are two tests that companies must conduct to ensure that their 401(k) plans don’t unfairly benefit highly-paid employees at the expense of others. Companies that offer 401(k) plans must conduct the tests
What is an Actual Owner An Actual Owner is a person or entity that receives the benefit of ownership. Being the actual owner, the asset is under the person’s or entity’s name, and they are entitled to any advantage from that. The actual owner can be hard to determine at times if there are multiple
What Is an Actual Return? An actual return refers to the actual gain or loss an investor experiences on an investment or in a portfolio. It is also referred to as the internal rate of return (IRR). It can greatly affect net worth. The Basics of Actual Return As opposed to expected or assumed returns
