Preferred vs. Common Stock: Which One Should You Choose?

Evaluating their income and expenditure
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A preferred stock is a form of ownership in a public company. It has some qualities of a common stock and some of a bond. The price of a share of both preferred and common stock varies with the earnings of the company. Both trade through brokerage firms. Bond prices, on the other hand, vary with the company's ability to pay, as rated by Standard & Poor's.

Preferred stocks pay dividends like common stock. The difference is that preferred stocks pay agreed-upon dividends at regular intervals. This quality is similar to that of bonds. Common stocks may pay dividends, depending on profitability. Preferred stocks' dividends are often higher than common stocks' dividends. Dividends can be adjustable and vary with LIBOR, or they can be fixed amounts that never vary.

Key Takeaways

  • Preferred stocks return your investment if you hold them to maturity, the way bonds do, while common stocks' values can be wiped out.
  • Preferred stocks pay a steady stream of income that is lower but more stable than common stocks' dividends.
  • Preferred stocks cost companies more, so they are more likely to be recalled if the market sends stock prices soaring.

Preferred stocks are also like bonds in that you’ll get your initial investments back if you hold them until maturity. That's 30 years to 40 years in most cases. Common stocks' values can fall to zero. If that happens, you will get nothing.

Companies that issue preferred stocks can recall them before maturity by paying the issue price. Like bonds and unlike stocks, preferred stocks do not confer any voting rights.

When You Should Buy Preferred Stocks

You should consider preferred stocks when you need a steady stream of income, particularly when interest rates are low, because preferred stock dividends pay a higher income stream than bonds. Although lower, the income is more stable than that of common stock dividends. 

Note

It may be wise to think about selling preferred stocks when interest rates rise.

Higher interest rates make preferred stocks lose value. That's true with bonds as well. The fixed income stream becomes less valuable as interest rates push up the returns on other investments.

Preferred stocks could also lose value when stock prices rise, because companies may call them in. They buy the preferred stocks back from you before the prices get any higher. 

Preferred Stocks Versus Common Stocks

This table illustrates the differences among preferred stocks, common stocks, and bonds.

Feature Preferred Common Bond
Ownership of Company Yes Yes No
Voting Rights No Yes No
Price of Security Is Based on: Earnings Earnings S&P Rating
Dividends Fixed Varies Fixed
Value if Held to Maturity Full N/A Full
Order Paid if Company Defaults Second Third First

The Different Types

Convertible preferred stocks have the option of being converted into common stock at some point in the future. What determines when that happens? Three things:

  1. The corporation's board of directors may vote for a conversion.
  2. You might decide to convert. You would only exercise this option if the price of the common stock were more than the net present value of your preferreds. The net present value includes the expected dividend payments and the price you would receive when the life of the preferred is over.
  3. The stock might have automatically converted on a predetermined date

Cumulative preferred stocks allow companies to suspend dividend payments when times are bad, but they must pay all of the missed dividend payments when times are good again. They must do that before they can make any dividend payments to common stockholders. Preferred stocks without that advantage are called "non-cumulative stocks. "

Redeemable preferred stocks give the company the right to redeem the stock at any time after a certain date. The option describes the price the company will pay for the stock. The redeemable date is often not for a few years. These stocks pay a higher dividend to compensate for the added redemption risk. Why? The company could call for redemption if interest rates drop. They would issue new preferreds at the lower rate and pay a smaller dividend instead. That means less profit for the investor.

Why Companies Issue Them

Companies use preferred stocks to raise capital for growth. The corporation’s ability to suspend the dividends is its biggest advantage over bonds. It just requires a vote of the board. They run no risk of being sued for default. If the company doesn't pay the interest on its bonds, it defaults. 

Companies also use preferred stocks to transfer corporate ownership to another company. For one thing, companies get a tax write-off on the dividend income of preferred stocks. For example, if a company owns 20% or more of another distributing company's stock, they don't have to pay taxes on the first 65% of income received from dividends. Individual investors don't get the same tax advantage. Second, companies can sell preferred stocks quicker than common stocks. It’s because the owners know they will be paid back before the owners of common stocks will.

This advantage was why the U.S. Treasury bought shares of preferred stocks in the banks as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). It capitalized the banks so they wouldn't go bankrupt. At the same time, the Treasury wanted to protect the government. Taxpayers would get paid back before the common shareholders if the banks were to default at all.

Preferred stocks are often issued as a last resort. Companies sell them after they've gotten all they can from issuing common stocks and bonds. Preferred stocks are more expensive than bonds. The dividends paid by preferred stocks come from the company's after-tax profits. These expenses are not deductible. The interest paid on bonds is tax-deductible and is cheaper for the company.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you buy preferred stock?

You can buy preferred stock the same way you buy common stock. You'll need access to the market through a brokerage account. You can then search the brokerage for preferred stocks. Keep in mind that these preferred securities may be listed separately from common stocks, so you may have to use a different screener or go to a different section of the brokerage's website. Not all companies offer access to the same securities, so check the brokerage's offerings before opening an account.

Where do you find preferred stock on a company's financial statements?

Preferred stock is listed on a company's balance sheet alongside other forms of shareholder equity. Preferred stock is typically separated from common stock on the balance sheet, but they'll both appear next to one another under the section for liabilities and shareholder equity.

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Sources
The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. IRS. "Publication 542: Corporations," Page 10.

  2. U.S. Department of the Treasury. "Capital Purchase Program."

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