What is the Plowback Ratio? The plowback ratio is a fundamental analysis ratio that measures how much earnings are retained after dividends are paid out. It is most often referred to as the retention ratio. The opposite metric, measuring how much in dividends are paid out as a percentage of earnings, is known as the payout ratio.
What Is a Private Letter Ruling (PLR)? A private letter ruling (PLR) is a written decision by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that is sent in response to a taxpayer’s request for guidance on unusual circumstances or complex questions about their specific tax situation. For certain transactions involving large amounts of money, the tax law
What Is a Profit and Loss (P&L) Statement? Profit and loss (P&L) statement refers to a financial statement that summarizes the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred during a specified period, usually a quarter or fiscal year. These records provide information about a company’s ability or inability to generate profit by increasing revenue, reducing costs, or both. P&L
What Is the Plunge Protection Team? The “Plunge Protection Team” (PPT) is a colloquial name given to the Working Group on Financial Markets. Created in 1988 to provide financial and economic recommendations to the U.S. President during turbulent market times, this group is headed by the Secretary of the Treasury; other members include the Chair of
What Is a PLUS Loan? A PLUS loan, also known as a direct PLUS loan, is a federal loan for higher education available to the parents of undergraduate students, in addition to graduate or professional students. PLUS stands for Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students. Like federal student loans, PLUS loans are offered through the U.S.
What Is a Plus Tick? In the context of securities pricing, a completed trade that results in a price movement is said to make a tick up or a tick down, respectively. A plus tick is another way of referring to an upward change in the price of a security. The reference point for the
What Is Plutonomy? Plutonomy is a term that refers to the science of the production and distribution of wealth. The term first appeared in the middle of the 19th-century in the work of John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow. In modern times, Citigroup analysts, beginning with Ajay Kapur in 2005, have used the term to describe an
What Is the Post-Modern Portfolio Theory (PMPT)? The post-modern portfolio theory (PMPT) is a portfolio optimization methodology that uses the downside risk of returns instead of the mean variance of investment returns used by the modern portfolio theory (MPT). Both theories describe how risky assets should be valued, and how rational investors should utilize diversification
What Is a Pocket Listing? A pocket listing is a real estate sale offer that is handled by a single broker or salesperson and not made available to multiple listing service (MLS) members or even other colleagues in the same office. A pocket listing may be an option for a seller who insists on privacy
What Is a Point-and-Figure (P&F) Chart? A point-and-figure chart plots price movements for stocks, bonds, commodities, or futures without taking into consideration the passage of time. Contrary to some other types of charts, like candlesticks, which mark the degree of an asset’s movement over set time periods, P&F charts utilize columns consisting of stacked X’s
