Overshoot
Overshoot refers to the phenomenon where a specified target or goal, such as an economic target, earnings projection, budget, or any predefined metric, is surpassed, often leading to unanticipated consequences.
Oversold
A description of a stock or market that has experienced an unexpectedly sharp price decline and is therefore due, according to some proponents of technical analysis, for an imminent price rise.
Overtime
Overtime refers to the time worked by employees beyond their agreed normal working hours. For hourly or nonexempt employees, overtime is typically compensated at a higher rate, often one and one-half times their regular pay, for hours worked over 40 in a standard workweek.
Overtrading
Overtrading occurs when a business expands its operations too rapidly, straining its financial resources and potentially causing liquidity problems.
Overvalued
A stock is considered overvalued when its current market price does not seem justified based on its earnings and growth potential, suggesting that it is likely to decrease in price.
Overvalued Currency
An overvalued currency is a currency whose value is artificially higher than its market value due to governmental support or intervention. This misalignment can impact a country's trade balance, economic stability, and competitiveness.
Overwrite
The process in which new computer data replaces or modifies the data at a disk location that was previously occupied by other data. This occurs when new files with the same name are saved over existing ones.
Own Shares Purchase
The purchase or redemption of its own shares by a company; permitted subject to certain legal restrictions.
Owner
An owner is an individual or entity that holds legal title to property, encompassing ownership, dominion, or vested title of said property.
Owner Financing
**Owner Financing**, also known as **Seller Financing**, is a real estate financing method where the property seller directly finances the purchase for the buyer, bypassing traditional lending institutions. In this arrangement, the seller extends credit to the buyer, who agrees to make regular payments, including interest, until the loan is paid off or the property is refinanced.
Owner of Record
The term 'Owner of Record' refers to the person(s) or entity that is officially recognized as the owner of a property based on public records.
Owner-Operator
An owner-operator is an individual who owns as well as operates their own business or the equipment used in the business for the purpose of earning income. For example, truck drivers often operate as owner-operators of their trucks.
Owner's Equity
Owner's equity represents the portion of an organization's value held by its owners, encompassing capital investments and retained earnings, minus liabilities such as dividends and other financial obligations.
Owners and Contractors Protective Liability Insurance
An insurance endorsement that provides liability coverage for an insured who is sued due to the negligent acts or omissions of an independent contractor or subcontractor, resulting in bodily injury and/or property damage to a third party.
Owners, Landlords, and Tenants Liability Policy
Coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability resulting from the ownership, use, and/or maintenance of an insured business's premises as well as operations by the business anywhere in the United States or Canada.
Owners' Equity
Owner's equity represents the portion of an organization's value held by its owners, encompassing capital investments and retained earnings, minus liabilities such as dividends and other financial obligations.
Ownership
Ownership refers to the exclusive right of possessing, enjoying, and disposing of a thing. It encompasses both the concepts of possession and title, making it broader in scope than either.
Ownership Form
A method of owning real estate, which affects income tax, estate tax, continuity, liability, survivorship, transferability, disposition at death and at bankruptcy. Ownership forms include various structures with different legal and financial implications.
P & L Account
The Profit and Loss (P & L) account is a financial statement summarizing the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred during a specific period, typically a fiscal quarter or year.
P-Value
A p-value is a statistical measure that helps researchers determine the significance of their results. This value helps assess whether the observed data supports the null hypothesis or not.
P&I (Principal and Interest)
Principal and Interest (P&I) refers to the two main components of a loan payment. The principal repayment decreases the loan balance, while the interest is the cost of borrowing the money.
Pac-Man Defense
In corporate mergers and acquisitions, the Pac-Man Defense refers to a defensive strategy where the target company aims to counter the hostile takeover attempt by making a bid to acquire the aggressor.
Pacesetter
A pacesetter is something that sets the standard for others to follow, often in industries such as fashion, technology, or business processes. It signifies innovation and leadership that others aim to imitate or exceed.
Package Band
Package bands are strips of paper or other materials printed with advertisements, announcements, or special price offers, which are wrapped around a product package.
Package Code
A Package Code is an identification code used by direct marketers to track and compare the effectiveness of different mailing packages, particularly when testing new promotional packages against control packages.
Package Design
Package design refers to the comprehensive process of planning and fashioning the form and structure of a product's package. This includes various elements such as size, shape, color, closure, appearance, protection, economy, convenience, labeling, and environmental impact.
Package Mortgage
A package mortgage is an arrangement whereby the principal amount loaned is increased because personalty, such as appliances, as well as realty, serve as collateral.
Packaged Goods
Consumer products that are pre-packaged by manufacturers and sold through retail outlets, commonly including food, tobacco, toiletries, health and beauty aids, and household products.
Packaging Laws
Packaging laws are regulations set to govern the packaging process, materials, safety standards, and labeling requirements to ensure consumer protection and environmental sustainability.
Packet
A packet is a unit of data sent across a network. When a large block of data is to be sent over a network, it is broken up into several packets, which are then sent separately and reassembled at the destination.
Packing List
A packing list is a detailed statement of the contents of a container, typically included within the container, used for counting and matching quantities of merchandise by the person who opens the container.
Padding
Padding refers to the practice of adding unnecessary material or expenses for the purpose of increasing the size or volume, such as padding an expense account to increase the company's reimbursement.
Pages Per Minute (PPM)
A measure of the speed of printers indicating how many pages a printer can produce in one minute.
Pagination
Pagination is the process of dividing a document into discrete pages, a crucial element in both digital and printed text management.
Paid Status
A status indicating whether and how an order was paid. Status types include cash order, paid credit order, credit card order, claims-paid complaint, unpaid credit order, and complimentary subscription.
Paid-In Capital
Paid-in capital represents the amount of money a company has received from shareholders in exchange for shares of stock, encompassing the funds received from stock issuance, premiums or discounts on stocks sold, stock donations, and the resale of treasury stock.
Paid-In Capital Surplus
Paid-In Capital Surplus represents capital received from investors in exchange for stock. It is distinguished from capital generated from earnings or donations and includes capital stock and contributions from stockholders that are credited to accounts other than capital stock, such as an excess over par value.
Paid-Up Policy
A life insurance policy in which all premiums have been paid. These policies require premium payments for a limited number of years, and once all premiums have been paid, the policy is considered fully funded and requires no more payments. The policy remains active until the insured dies or cancels the policy.
Paid-Up Share Capital
Paid-up share capital refers to the proportion of issued share capital of a company that has been fully paid for by its shareholders, meaning the company has received the full payment for the shares.
Painting the Tape
Painting the tape is an illegal practice in stock market manipulations, where traders create artificial trading activity to deceive other investors. This leads to unwarranted price movements and can lure unsuspecting investors into making trades based on fabricated market interest.
Paired Shares
Paired shares, also known as Siamese shares or stapled stock, refer to the common stocks of two companies under the same management that are sold as a unit, usually appearing as a single certificate printed front and back.
Panic Buying/Selling
Panic buying or selling involves a flurry of transactions characterized by high volume. This phenomenon occurs in response to news events that hint at sharply rising or falling prices, often leaving investors with inadequate time to assess the fundamentals of individual stocks or bonds.
Paper
Credit given, evidenced by a written obligation that is backed by property; slang for debt, often used in contexts such as seller financing.
Paper Gold
Paper gold refers to certificates that can be converted into gold at the offices of the issuer, whether private or government. It is often used in exchange due to its convenience over the physical metal.
Paper Money
Certificates issued by government (and, at times, private entities) that are generally accepted within the economy as reliable media of exchange.
Paper Profit
Paper profit refers to an increase in the value of an asset that is recorded in the books but has not been realized through a sale. It's a theoretical gain that can fluctuate greatly before any actual profit is recognized.
Paper Profit (Loss)
Unrealized gain (loss) in an investment or portfolio, calculated by comparing the current market price to the investor's cost.
Paper Trail
A paper trail encompasses the physical or digital documentation that records the sequence of activities and transactions, serving as a crucial mechanism for tracking and verifying the authenticity of business processes and financial records.
PAR
Equal to the established value; face amount or stated value of a negotiable instrument, stock, or bond, and not the actual value it would receive on the open market. Bills of exchange, stocks, and similar instruments are at par when they sell for their stated value.
Par Bond
A par bond is a bond that is selling at its nominal value or face value. This reflects a situation where the bond's market price is equal to its face value, indicating a good balance between supply and demand as well as market optimism regarding its returns.
Par Value
Par value, also known as face value or nominal value, is the minimum price at which shares or other securities are issued and can be redeemed. The par value is typically set by the company at the time of issuance and does not fluctuate.
Paradigm Shift
A paradigm shift refers to a fundamental change in a model or pattern that has been nearly universally accepted. It often marks a significant transformation in the way processes or concepts are understood or executed.
Paradox of Thrift
The Paradox of Thrift is the proposition that increased saving by households reduces their consumption and, consequently, reduces Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Paradox of Value
The 'paradox' that many absolute essentials to life (water, air, etc.) are either free or very cheap, while many 'unnecessary' goods are quite expensive (diamonds, truffles, etc.).
Paralegal
A paralegal is a professional employed by a law office to perform various tasks that support the legal practice, but who is not licensed to practice law.
Parallel Hedge
A parallel hedge involves mitigating exposure to fluctuations in one foreign currency by using a second currency expected to move similarly.
Parallel Loan
A financial arrangement in which two independent firms with subsidiaries in separate countries make offsetting loans to each other's subsidiaries to hedge against exchange rate fluctuations.
Parallel Port
A parallel port is an output device that allows a computer to transmit data to another device using parallel data transmission—several bits sent simultaneously over separate wires. PC parallel ports are usually designated as LPT1, LPT2, and so on. This is in contrast to a serial port, which transmits data sequentially, one bit at a time.
Parallel Printer
A parallel printer is a type of printer that connects to a computer using a parallel port, allowing for faster data transfer rates compared to serial connections.
Parallel Processing
Parallel processing refers to the simultaneous performance of two or more tasks by a computer, which increases processing speed and efficiency, allowing for more complex computations to be done in a shorter amount of time.
Parameter
A parameter is a measure used to describe a population, such as the number of rental units in a given city. Parameters are known for certain, whereas estimates are derived from samples.
Parcel
A 'Parcel' can refer to a piece of property under one ownership, a package sent through a common carrier, or the act of distributing items.
Parcel Post
Parcel Post is a class of mail service offered by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for mailing merchandise or printed matter weighing more than 16 ounces. Specific guidelines apply regarding the inspection, weight, and dimensions of the packages.
Pareto's Law
Pareto's Law, also known as the 80-20 Rule, posits that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of the causes. In economics, it highlights income distribution where a small percentage of the population controls the majority of the income. This principle is essential for understanding resource allocation, inequality, and economic strategies for improving the lot of the poor.
Pari Passu Clause
A covenant in a loan agreement where the borrower promises that the loan in question will rank equally with its other defined debts, ensuring no preferential treatment among creditors.
Parity
Parity is a method used in computing and telecommunications to check whether data has been transmitted or stored correctly by ensuring an odd or even number of bits.
Parity Price
A parity price is a price for a commodity or service, pegged to another price or a composite average of prices from a selected prior period. The parity is typically indexed on a scale where 100 represents parity.
Parking
Parking refers to the strategy of placing assets in a safe and liquid investment temporarily while evaluating other investment opportunities.
Parkinson's Law
Parkinson's Law, formulated by C. Northcote Parkinson, posits that work expands to fill the time available for its completion and that organizations become inefficient over time due to internal pressures and redundant bureaucracy.
Parliamentary Procedure
A formal procedure followed in the conduct of any meeting, usually adhering to Robert's Rules of Order. It ensures the orderly and efficient management of the meeting's agenda.
Part-Time Employment
Part-time employment refers to jobs requiring less than a full-time commitment from employees. Part-time employees typically do not enjoy the same benefits as full-time employees, such as health insurance and retirement plans.
Partial Delivery
In finance, partial delivery occurs when a broker or seller fails to deliver the full quantity of a security or commodity that is stipulated in a contract. For instance, if a contract requires the delivery of 10,000 shares of a stock, but only 7,000 shares are delivered, this would be termed as a partial delivery.
Partial Eviction
Partial eviction occurs when a tenant is deprived of a portion of the property they are leasing, resulting in adjustments to rental agreements.
Partial Exemption in Value Added Tax (VAT)
Partial exemption in VAT refers to limitations imposed by tax legislation on the input tax a taxable person can claim when they make a mix of taxable and exempt supplies.
Partial Interest
Partial interest refers to the ownership of a portion of the ownership rights to a parcel of real estate. This can include rights such as mineral rights, easements on another's property, or leasehold rights.
Partial Intestacy
Circumstances that arise if a will covers only part of the estate of the deceased, leading to a mix of estate distribution based on the will and the rules of intestacy.
Partial Liquidation
Detailed exploration of partial liquidation in corporate finance, including examples, FAQs, related terms, resources, and suggested books for further studies.
Partial Release
A provision in a mortgage that allows some of the property pledged to be freed from serving as collateral when certain conditions are met.
Partial Taking
Partial taking refers to the acquisition by condemnation of only part of the property or some property rights. It requires just compensation to the property owner for the loss incurred.
Partial-Equilibrium Analysis
Partial-equilibrium analysis is an approach in economic analysis that focuses only on the part of the economy affected by the factors being studied, isolating it from the rest of the economy to better understand impact.
Participated Loan (Participation Financing)
A participated loan, also known as participation financing, is a large loan that exceeds the lending limit of an individual bank and is shared among a group of lenders.
Participating Insurance Policy
A Participating Insurance Policy is a type of life insurance policy that pays dividends to the policyholder. These dividends are typically a share of the insurer's profits and can be taken in cash, used to reduce premiums, or reinvested back into the policy.
Participating Interest
Participating Interest refers to an interest held by an entity in the shares of another entity, maintained on a long-term basis to exercise some measure of control or influence over the activities of the second entity.
Participating Policy
An insurance coverage type that allows the insured to receive dividends based on the company's earnings, which can be used to reduce premium payments.
Participating Preference Share
Participating Preference Shares are a type of preference share that not only provides a fixed dividend but also allows holders to participate in additional profits after certain conditions are met.
Participating Preferred Stock
Participating preferred stock is a type of preferred stock that not only pays a specified dividend but also entitles the holder to participate with common shareholders in additional earnings distributions under certain conditions.
Participation Certificate
A Participation Certificate is a financial instrument representing a share in a pool of funds or in other assets, such as mortgage pools. It provides investors with a means to invest in collective assets and receive proportional income from those assets.
Participation Loan
A participation loan is a financial arrangement where multiple lenders share in providing a loan, typically with one lender acting as the lead to service the loan. This can distribute the risk and allow for larger loan amounts than a single lender might handle.
Participative Budgeting
Participative budgeting is a budgeting process where various levels of management are involved in setting the budget. This method aims to boost ownership and accountability, ensuring that performance benchmarks reflect the input of those who are responsible for meeting them.
Participative Leadership
Participative leadership, also known as consultative management, encourages team member participation in decision-making, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
Participative Management
An open form of management where employees have a strong decision-making role. Developed by managers seeking a cooperative relationship with their employees, participative management aims to increase productivity, improve quality, and reduce costs.
Participator
Any person who has an interest in the capital or income of a company, such as a shareholder, loan creditor, or any individual entitled to the distributions of the company.
Partition
Partition refers to the concept of dividing a whole into multiple segments, which can apply to various fields such as real estate, office management, and computer storage.
Partly Paid Share
A partly paid share is a share for which the shareholder has not yet paid the full par value. This concept was historically used by banks and insurance companies and has seen a revival in large share issues, notably in privatizations.
Partner
A partner is a member of a partnership, which could be a syndicate, association, pool, joint venture, or another unincorporated organization. Partners generally report their pro rata share of partnership income and deductions on their personal tax returns.
Partner's Drawing
A Partner's Drawing is the amount withdrawn by a partner from the firm for personal use. These drawings are typically made against the partner’s share of profit or capital in the business.
Partnership
An association of two or more people (partners) formed for the purpose of carrying on a business. Partnerships vary in legal structure and liability among partners and are specifically governed by laws and agreements.
Partnership Accounts
Partnership accounts refer to the detailed accounting records maintained by a partnership, encompassing various essential documents such as the appropriation account, capital account, and current account. These accounts aid in the equitable distribution of profits and manage the financial dealings among partners in accordance with the partnership agreement.
Partnership Agreement (Articles of Partnership)
A Partnership Agreement, also known as Articles of Partnership, outlines the partnership terms, including profit sharing, salaries, interest on capital, and introduction or retirement of partners, governed by the Partnership Act 1890.
Partnership Life and Health Insurance
Partnership life and health insurance provide critical protection to maintain the value of a business in case of the death or disability of a partner. This insurance facilitates the transfer of a deceased or disabled partner's interest to the surviving partners based on a predetermined formula.

Accounting Terms Lexicon

Discover comprehensive accounting definitions and practical insights. Empowering students and professionals with clear and concise explanations for a better understanding of financial terms.