The Dillon herald. (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, September 30, 1920, Image 2

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fflSSBSSEBSSSSSE 1 S S s s rn is II IMIHilBB?? H B a a a , a . ? ONE ~ ADVANTAGE _ The Corporation pays the normal Fll Income tax for the stockholder, so Bthat 8 per cent preferred stock dividend means as much as 8.70 per cent @ interest to a person whose income is subject to 8 per cent normal tax, and {+] 8 35 per cent cent to a person subject ? " * ?? (ncnmc Bomj iu me * i?ci vcm uviw?> ???tax. Sin comparing yields of different securities it is important to bear this in g] mind. b ? a a b a a _, a a a a ^ a g| SOME PROVISIONS |H INTERPRETED |^| No. 2. ? CALLABLE AT $110.00 PER SHARE: On any dividend date 30 (or 60) days after notice, the com|?| pany, at its option, may call the preg] ferred stock as a whole at $110.00 Hper share and cumulative dividends. This provision is to recompense the rxi investor for having his investment taken away from him. If the comjZ pany decides that it wants to recall ~~ its preferred stock and part com] ! pany with its preferred stockholders, ? it is usual to insert some provision like this. The premium at which the ? stock Is to be called varies more or less from 15.00 to $20.00 per share, $10.00 per share being more usual 1?1 than any other amount. 19 B B B a B 19 ___ B B B B ? AN INVESTMENT IN C03IS? Ml'NT TV SUCCESS. Only the most prosperous concerus S have a right aud will receive any en_ courageinent from a prudent investW meut banker to invite the public into Seven a limited and preferred partnership with them. To purchase the H senior securities of concerns eligible, lo co-operate as one of the public by investing as explained above is to line ZZT one's self up behind the aggressive, Q3 successful men of the community and ?to throw one's weight on their side, encouraging them not only with the (2 material support of the investment, but by adding one's self to the list of a LbeLr fellow-citizens who have gone I?- on record in a substantial way as been lieving in them, and wishing to share Bin their anticipated continued success. The moral effect of such supCD pert in stimulating our leaders to the ' utmost can hardly be overestimated. a m a a a a ??? B IS ffl ? The Stock of the Charles a [+j The Directors of the Cha ? 75 Broad Street Chat a eaaaaaassbbbs B??fflfflS?$??@?[?l A SERIES I PREFERRED AS TO WHAT? A preferred Stock that is RJSALLY preferred, is a safe and desirable investment if the Company is managed with honesty and efficiency. Preferred as to what? Is there a Sinking Fund? Is there a reserve for a Sinking Fund? Is there a requirement that the profits of the business be used to strengthen and retire the preferred stock, and to prevent an undue share of the profits from being distributed to the common stockholders? SOME PROVISIONS INTERPRETED No. 3. SINKING FUND: Once a year, sometimes twice a year( a definite percentage of the preferred stock issued is required to be paid to the registrar or other agent of the banking house sponsoring the security for the purchase of such of the preferred stock as may be obtained at th6 call price per share or less. If sufficient stock cannot be obtained by tender there are various provisions to give the preferred stockholders the benefit of the Sinking Fund. Sometimes the shares are callable by lot, sometimes the money in the Sinking Fund is to be invested in other securities. Whatever its disposition, a Sinking Fund is a tremendous protection to a preferred stock issue or to any issue of securities. It not only tends to insure the gradual liquidation oi the issue but is a powerful influence in maintaining tne price, and in helping to provide a satisfactory market. AX ASSOCIATION WITH LEADERS Only the outstanding men of the community become heads of concerns with sufficient prestige and success for a conservative investment banker to invite his clients to join them on a preferred partnership basis. Ask the contemporaries of the men at the head of companies successfully financed in this way and you will find that one by one mey win iucm up and discuss with enthusiasm their character, intelligence and efficiency. Those who grew up with them are the strongest and most effective as well as the most competent witnesses as to the fitness of these leaders. CHARLESTO ton Security Company is helc rleston Security Company ar rleston, 5. C. 3? ??@??????E?S OF 16 DISC I THE SPONSOR Those bought from brokers or bankers less careful of the interest of their clients than of their own, often lack many provisions which responsible bankers require. All companies would take their offerings to responsible bankers if they could meet the requirements, because it is so much more to the company's advantage to have the constan t and consistent moral support arising from such a connection, which can be obtained almost in no other way. Incidently, it Is much less costly to sell an issue through a banker of the highest standing, because it is easier and, therefore, less expensive for such a house to resell it to the public. SOME PROVISIONS INTERPRETED Vrt A 11V, * SPECIAL RESERVE FOR SINKING FUND: This provision, while by no means unknown, is a protection with which the investor is often compelled to dispense. It is, in effect, a sort of special surplus fund created out of the undivided profits to provide additional safety for the preferred stock issue at all times, to be used only in those periods when current earnings, together with other undivided profits, are insufficient to take care of the Sinking Fun requirements. If the Special Reserve Fund is encroached upon for this purpose, it is usually to require drastic reduction or discontinuance of the dividends on the Common Stock until it is restored. It is a provision which appeals strongly to us as a most desirable protection to the investor, and itc /?roatir?n hv a comDany raising money is a good test of the sincerity of its desire to give the investor every protection and to dedicate the major part of the profits of the business to its upbuilding as an institution rather than to their distribution as dividends to holders of the Common Stock. ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE A community that wisely concentrates its resources behind its principal industries not only helps to maintain and develop them, but insures a lively concern on the part of a great number of citizens in everything affecting the slightest interest of the business so supported and provides a body of friendly partisans who observe every move and every transaction of the representatives of the industry so supported; thus there will be many to help the management keep themselves posted about errors and omissions; and of the many, somQ will doubtless make fruitful suggestions for profit. The whole policy of the management of a company cannot but be influenced by the sense of responsibility to the community created by a wide nuhlio nartnershiri in its securities. N SECURITY I by Trustees for the benefit to e the same as the Directors of BBSSEE?????ESSE a us is is si? ssessse :ussions THE COMPANY AS VENDOR Oftern a company will undertake , to sell its own preferred stock and, in considering such offerings, it is well to recall that probably in the preparation of the covenant under which thin stock is issued, only the company's interest was considered. In many cases neither the lawyer nor the executive of the company doing the financing gave definite thought to the stock from the standpoint of the investor and, indeed, it is questionable whether in most cases of this sort the knowledge and experience are possessed by the people preparing the issue, to give to the investor tVio aHvantaee LUtJ yiuicvuuu auu vuv ? w which it is desired he should have. Frequently the attorney preparee the draft of the Charter authorizing the preferred stock in the interest of his client, the company, except in so far as he is instructed otherwise. The prospective investor has no representative at the gathering. Retirement, sinking funds, restriction of common dividends, ' restrictions against mortgaging, are usually not considered. It is the investment banker's business to prepare securities according to certain recognized principles of investment banking. While nothing human is absolutely sure, a careful following of these investment rules has proved their worth in eleminating the majority of the more usual investment hazards. nnAinarAvu su.nij riw * wn/.i j INTERPRETED No. 5. MAINTENANCE NET QUICK ASSETS: This is to maintain net quick assets at some reasonable percentage of preferred stock. The usual minimum is 100 per cent and the maximum POO per cent. A requirement of IE. per cent Is very good. Net quick assets means the amount the company would have left in cash provided it stopped business, sold out its goods, collected its accounts, after having paid from the amount so realized all of its debts. It would have left in addition all real estate, investments, and fixed assets, thus furnishing additional excess protection for the preferred stockholders. It is usual to provide that the penalty for letting net quick assets fall below the agreed minimum is a suspension of dividends on the Common Stock until this agreed minimum has been restored. CHARACTER The character of the individual managers of the company offering preferred stock is subject to the whjte light of publicity and if all is not as it should be, it will not be possible to sell the securities. Public participation in the ownership of a business can be brought about only through public confidence. EFFICIENCY "Seest thou a man dilligent in his business, he shall stand before kings," is true only if to diligence is added efficiency. The reputation of the managers of a company offering its securities to the public for any degree of efficiency less than highly excellent, would almost certainly cause the issue to be a complete failure. f COMPANY the Stockholders of the Bant the Bank of Charleston, N. I - CAPITAL $100,000 ass??? ????s??[ 8000000000000 f If |. V II ? ' w m e e 0 J 0 ?? 0 SOME PROVISION'S gg INTERPRETED g] No.1. g] PREFERRED AS TO CUMULA- (21 TIVE DIVIDENDS: The first profits made by the company go to the pre- |+ ferred stockholders and to the ex- ^ tent that the full amount payable |Z every year is unpaid In any year, the nr deficiency must be made up in later X years before any profits may be dis- jj tributed to the common stock, which m ? usually represents the ownership of IS the people who built up the business. [Z PREFERRED AS TO ASSETS: In athe event of dissolution or liqulda- + tion of the company, the preferred ? stock is entitled to be paid in full and [ J < often to be paid at a premium, say rr $110.00 per share, before any dis- IX tribution may be made to the holders S of the common stock. NO MORTGAGE: It is usual to pro- [ vide that no mortgage or lien, to pay rr which the company is liable, may be IX placed on its property while the pre- Z ferred stock is outstanding without ~ the consent of a substantial majority [+] of the preferred stockholders, at least ?. 75 per cent. Such a lien or mort- |2| gage is a debt which may mature at nri a time when its payment may em- IXI barrass the company, and therefore Z] this provision is created so that the bq preferred stockholders may not be [+] confronted by such a situation without having in advance been asked for [ ] and consent granted thereto. gj IS ffl IS SOME PROVISIONS ? INTERPRETED ? no. e. a MANAGEMENT: One often reads IS . the following: "The present officers Z] ^ of the company are as follows: J~ Th0 board of directors is composed [<?] of to which board will be ?. elected of the Bankers." |2l VI The object of this is not to require nri H or hold out any representation that IXI the bankers are expected by any one Z] jJD to take an aggressive or even an ac- bd \ tive part in the management of the H?] i company, especially while it continues j?, J piosperou3; but it gives the banker the right to receive, first hand, as m fast as it develops, news of the com- IXI pany's progress. It offers an oppor- Z1 tunity for the bankers to assist with bq advice and otherwise as circum- [ ] stances may indicate to be desirable, r? ANNUAL AUDIT: An annual au- [ ] Hit is tn hp made hv an independent ixi public accountant to be approved by IS the bankers. This provision is gen- SI erally unnecessary, but is inserted so i==| that the bankers may have the right to require it should such audit be rri not voluntarily provided. IS m a nnnBHi SI SI SI I * SI SI SI m 121 LIliEliAL YIELD [+1 An assured liberal yield (free of pi normal income taxi can well be of- [ J fered and paid a preferred slock r^i holder because, after all, a preferred 12J stockholder is a preferred partner and m not a creditor, and his entering the ^ business enables it to expand not only because of the new money brought in from the preferred stock, |2J but because of the even larger rg-i amount of credit obtainable for tern- 121 porary period* by ieason of having rx] a larger capital. ?J BP IS IS b is IS IS IS f K1 , SI >>, ? a a. k of Charleston, N. B. j? 3. A. g] - SURPLUS $100,000 ? saaaaaaaaaaaa