Robert Samuels, MFA
Robert Samuels got his start in music, sports, and entertainment, knowing little about finance and investments. After being offered stock options from the tech firm where he worked, he wanted to better understand the jargon. Soon, he taught himself the fundamentals of the stock market, and after several months, leveraged his newfound passion into a Masters of Liberal Arts in Finance from Harvard University. He has worked as a financial copywriter and business consultant for many industries, and has a diverse client base including CEOs, CFAs, private equity executives, venture capitalists, global investment firms, real estate agencies, marketing agencies, and publications.
Written by Robert
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities are financial instruments that can be exchanged for other types of tradable assets from the same issuer, typically shares of common stock.
Marketable Securities
Marketable securities are short-term assets that can be sold quickly and converted into cash. Here is an overview including examples and how they're used in formulas.
Gross Margin
Gross margin measures the percentage of revenue a company retains after deducting the costs of producing the goods or services it sells. Here's how to calculate it.
Shares Outstanding
Shares outstanding is a financial number that represents all the shares of a company’s stock that shareholders currently own. Here's how to find and use it.
Dividend Payout Ratio
The dividend payout ratio shows how much of a company’s net income goes to paying dividends. Here is a complete overview including how to calculate and use it.
Pretax Income
Pretax income refers to total income before taxes are deducted. It's commonly known as income before taxes, pretax profit, or earnings before taxes.
Selling, General, and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses
Selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses are a company’s overhead costs for its day-to-day operations. Here is the definition, formula, and examples.
Research and Development (R&D)
Research and development (R&D) represents a company’s efforts to develop new products or improve existing offerings. Here's why it matters and how the R&D tax credit works.