Junior security
Junior security
A security that has a lower-priority claim on a company's assets and income than a senior security. For example common stock is junior to preferred stock.
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Junior Issue
A security that has a lower priority compared to another in the event of liquidation. That is, if a company goes bankrupt and is liquidated, holders of secured debt must be paid before the holders of unsecured debt. Holders of unsecured debt must be paid before preferred shareholders, and finally, preferred shareholders must be satisfied before common shareholders. In the forgoing, each security is a junior issue compared to the previous one. See also: Absolute Priority Rule.
Farlex Financial Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All Rights Reserved
junior security
A security having a subordinate claim to assets and income with respect to another class of security. For example, preferred stock is a junior security compared with a debenture, and a debenture is a junior security compared with a mortgage bond. In general, a junior security entails greater risk but offers higher potential yields than securities with greater seniority.
Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott. Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.
Junior security.
In the world of bonds, the term junior means having less claim to repayment.
If you own a junior security and the issuing company goes out of business, you have less claim on any assets than an investor who owns a senior security issued by the same company.
But all bondholders, whether they own junior or senior securities, are senior to, or have a greater claim than, holders of preferred stock, who in turn are senior to holders of common stock.
Dictionary of Financial Terms. Copyright © 2008 Lightbulb Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.