Permanent Capital

Permanent Capital - When shares owned by and individual are represented by voting rights relative to those shares the investors have the right to access a company’s assets. These are referred to as “common” shares. Preferred stock is similar to common stock except that a specific dividend is paid to the stockholders before any dividends are paid to common stock holders. When these two types of shares are combined and calculated with the retained earnings (earnings which were re-invested in the business or use to pay off debts) of a given company, the total value is considered permanent capital in that it is perceived as a measurable and tangible asset as opposed to speculation.