What Is Level 2 First introduced in 1983 as the Nasdaq Quotation Dissemination Service (NQDS), Level 2 is a subscription-based service that provides real-time access to the NASDAQ order book. It is intended to display market depth and momentum to traders and investors. The service provides price quotes from market makers registered in every NASDAQ-listed and
What Is a Level 2 Asset? Level 2 assets are financial assets and liabilities that are difficult to value. Although a fair value can be determined based on other data values or market prices, these assets do not have regular market pricing. Level 2 asset values, sometimes called “mark-to-model” assets, can be closely approximated using simple models
What Are Level 3 Assets? Level 3 assets are financial assets and liabilities considered to be the most illiquid and hardest to value. They are not traded frequently, so it is difficult to give them a reliable and accurate market price. A fair value for these assets cannot be determined by using readily observable inputs or
What Is a Level Death Benefit? A level death benefit is a payout from a life insurance policy that is the same regardless of whether the insured person dies shortly after purchasing the policy or many years later. It can be contrasted with an increasing death benefit, which rises in value over time as the
What Is Lean Enterprise? Lean enterprise refers to a production principle stating that any component of a business enterprise that fails to directly benefit a final product is superfluous. Lean enterprise focuses on value creation while eliminating waste and non-essential processes. The most valuable elements of a product or a service are largely decided by
What Is Lean Six Sigma? Lean Six Sigma is a team-focused managerial approach that seeks to improve performance by eliminating resource waste and defects. It combines Six Sigma methods and tools with the lean manufacturing/lean enterprise philosophy. It strives to eliminate the waste of physical resources, time, effort, and talent while assuring quality in production
What Are Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities (LEAPS)? The term long-term equity anticipation securities (LEAPS) refers to publicly traded options contracts with expiration dates that are longer than one year, and typically up to three years from issue. They are functionally identical to most other listed options, except with longer times until expiration. A LEAPS contract
What Is a Learning Curve? A learning curve is a mathematical concept that graphically depicts how a process is improved over time due to learning and increased proficiency. The learning curve theory is that tasks will require less time and resources the more they are performed because of proficiencies gained as the process is learned.
Investopedia / Julie Bang What Is a Lease? A lease is a contract outlining the terms under which one party agrees to rent an asset—in this case, property—owned by another party. It guarantees the lessee, also known as the tenant, use of the property and guarantees the lessor (the property owner or landlord) regular payments for
What Is a Leaseback? A leaseback is an arrangement in which the company that sells an asset can lease back that same asset from the purchaser. With a leaseback—also called a sale-leaseback—the details of the arrangement, such as the lease payments and lease duration, are made immediately after the sale of the asset. In a
