Restricted Stock

Restricted stock

Stock that must be traded in compliance with special SEC regulations concerning its purchase and resale. These restrictions generally result from affiliate ownership, M&A activity, and underwriting activity. Many firms are now using restricted stock as a reward for employees. The advantages to restricted stock are: employees get dividends, employees usually get voting rights, and employee gets something even if the stock price drops over the vesting period (whereas an option would be worthless).

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Restricted Security

A stock or right that one acquires through some means other than the open market. One may receive a restricted security through a merger or acquisition, private placement prior to an IPO, or sometimes through a stock option. A restricted security is not registered with the SEC and thus may not be sold publicly until registration has been made. It is less commonly called a letter security.