M.T. Ciaffaroni, Sailing Across - Zanichelli editore

MODULE H - Lexicon
Finance
 

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Marketable securities: Titoli negoziabili.
Securities, like government bonds, that can be sold easily. On balance sheets, they are listed as current assets because they're expected to be converted to cash in the near future, usually one year.

Maturity: Maturazione, scadenza.
The time at which a note or bond becomes due or payable.

Money market: Mercato monetario.
The general term for banks and financial institutions dealing in government securities such as bonds and treasury notes, bills of exchange, etc.; it has no central meeting place like the share market but dealers, borrowers and lenders are connected through the telecommunications network.

Money market deposit accounts: Conto di deposito del mercato monetario.
A bank account that pays a variable rate of interest based loosely on market rates. Often used by people who need to keep money readily available, but want to try for a higher return than on regular bank accounts. Added bonus: they're federally insured.

Money market funds: Fondo comune di investimento in titoli di credito.
Funds that put their money in short-term investments. Considered pretty safe because the funds invest in such things as U.S. government securities and bank certificates of deposit.

Mortgage: Ipoteca, diritto di garanzia immobiliare.
A debt instrument by which the borrower (mortgagor) gives the lender (mortgagee) a lien on property as security for the repayment of a loan; most commonly used for real property (real estate). For personal property, the lien is called a security agreement, formerly called a chattel mortgage.

Municipal bond: Obbligazione municipale.
These bonds are issued by state or local government entities, such as cities and counties. Interest earned is generally tax-free.

Mutual funds: Fondi comuni di investimento a capitale variabile.
These funds pool money from many investors, and fund managers invest the money in specific types of securities. Money market funds are a type of mutual fund.

NASDAQ (the national association of securities dealers automated quotations system): A computerized system that lists price quotes for many over-the-counter stocks, as well as some other stocks.

Net income: Reddito netto.
The bottom line, after everything is paid up, including taxes. What's left after all expenses are deducted from total revenue. Dividends are paid from net income.

Net worth: Capitale netto, capitale proprio.
Equity. Fair market value of total assets minus total liabilities.

Non-recourse loan: Mutuo senza regresso.
A loan in which the borrower may have pledged collateral, but the borrower is not held personally liable. The lender of a non-recourse loan generally feels confident that the property used as collateral will be adequate security for the loan.

Note receivable: Cambiale attiva.
What you put on the books if you're owed money by someone who has signed a promissory note, which states you will be paid a certain amount by a certain time.

Obligation: Obbligazione, impegno.
A debt, note or lien payable; anything that is owed to others; a binding contract; a promise to pay; indebted.

Open-end fund: Fondo di investimento aperto.
A Mutual fund that doesn't limit its number of shares.

Option: Opzione.
The right to buy or sell stock at a given price within a certain period of time. Options are often traded.

Outstanding: Insoluto, in scoperto.
In accounting, the amount of unpaid debts and obligations. A document, such as a check or draft, that has not been presented for payment.

Outstanding balance: Saldo scoperto.
An amount of a loan that remains to be paid; a note on which there is still a liability.

Over-the-counter market (OTC): Mercato dei titoli non quotati in borsa.
A virtual marketplace for trading securities. Dealers conduct transactions via computer or telephone, rather than through an auction at a central location, like the New York stock exchange.

Pay off: Recupero, reintegrazione del capitale.
The payment in full of an existing loan. Often payoff means paid in full before the due date. A bribe, a gratuity or a gift.

Payroll: Ruolo paga.
The list of employees in a company, i.e., the employees who are paid by the company. When a person is employed by a company, that person may say he or she is on the payroll.

Petty cash: Piccola cassa.
Amounts of money (paper money and coins) kept on the business premises for payment of small incidental expenses.

Pledge: Pegno, costituzione in pegno.
The transfer or delivery of property to a lender to be held as security for repayment of a debt. A legal promise that the property title can be transferred to the lender if the debt is not repaid.

Preferred stock: Azioni privilegiate.
If you own this higher class of stock, you get your dividends before common stockholders. If the company folds, you also get assets before common stockholders do. The one thing you usually don't have is voting rights.

Prepayment penalty: Penale per estinzione anticipata.
An extra charge required if a loan is paid in full before the due date. Sometimes a penalty may apply to a partial payment made before the due date for the partial payment.

Prime rate: Tasso primario.
Interest rate banks charge their most credit-worthy commercial customers for loans. Often given to large corporations.

Principal: Capitale, somma capitale.
In general, the owner of a privately held business or the major party, buyer or seller in a transaction. In finance, the basic amount invested in a security, exclusive of earnings or interest. A deposit on which interest is either earned or owed. The face amount of a debt instrument. The balance of an obligation, separate from interest.

Pro forma: Preliminary documents of account, indicating various charges and conditions; or a prescribed form or procedure.

Pro forma income statement: Rendiconto pro forma, rendiconto simulato.
A statement of revenue and expenses that includes some hypothetical values. It shows what could be expected to happen if a corporation decided to go through with a take-over.

Profit: Profitto.
In a financial situation, a positive sum after expenses are deducted from income of a business as shown on an income statement; the monetary gain obtained from the use of capital in a transaction; the proceeds from property or investment; the opposite of a loss.

Profit margin: Margine di profitto.
A good measure of a company's efficiency, this essentially tells you how much the company makes off sales after expenses are paid. Generally, the higher the profit margin, the more efficient the company. Net profit margin is net income divided by net sales. Gross profit margin is gross profit divided by net sales.

Profit-sharing plan: Piano di compartecipazione agli utili.
If your company's doing well, this is one great perk. The company gives employees bonuses tied to the amount of profit it makes.

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