stock class

stock class

1. A category of capital stock issued by a company and having specific rights or characteristics. Most firms have only a single class of stock outstanding. Thus, every share has exactly the same rights as every other share. But some companies have two or more classes of capital stock designated as class A, class B, and so forth. For example, one class may have controlling voting rights but both classes may share equally in dividends. In general, a firm issues different classes of stock when it wishes to sell one class to the public and reserve another class for its founders. Also called class, classified stock. See also common stock.

2. A category of stock issued by a mutual fund. Funds sometimes issue multiple classes of stock. A fund, for example, may have one class of shares that carries a sales fee and another class of shares that has a contingent deferred sales fee and a 12b-1 fee, but no initial sales fee. Both classes of shares would be based on the same portfolio of securities.

Case Study In early 1996, fabled investor Warren Buffett announced that Berkshire Hathaway planned its first equity offering in 30 years and would create a new class B common stock. At the same time, the company would designate existing shares as class A stock. The new shares would be offered to investors at one-thirtieth the price of a class A share, which, at the time of the announcement, was trading at an unbelievable $31,500. Approximately $100 million worth of the new shares were expected to be offered, so that they would qualify for listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Owners of class A shares could exchange their shares for class B stock at a rate of 30 shares of class B stock for each share of class A stock, but owners of class B stock would not be permitted to exchange shares for class A stock. At the time of the announcement, Buffett owned 40% of Berkshire Hathaway common stock. He said the decision to issue the lower-priced class B shares was a response to activity by investment trusts that specialized in owning shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock.