In: Finance
Suppose you were offered the opportunity to buy convertible preferred shares or participating preferred shares of the same company for the same price. Which would you take? Explain why.
Convertible prefernce shares gives the holder the right to convert the preferred shares into common stock at a fixed price.If the market value of the common stock increases its beneficial to the holder of convertible preferred stock as he can convert the preference shares into common stock.
In case of participatory preferred shares the issuing company provides an additional dividend benefit on top of the fixed dividend rate the holder of the preferred share is entitled to.This however happens only if the company is able to achieve the specific financial goals set by themselves.If the company does so the holders of participatory peferred stock would benefit from additional dividend.
It is actually a trade off between the ability to convert at a fixed rate and the oppurtunity to receive additional benefit dependent on firm's performance.My personal preference would be convertible preferred share as they give the chance to convert to common stock at a fixed rate if share price appreciation occurs rather than being dependent on the company's ability to meet the specific financial goals that would provide additional dividend to the holder.