classified stock
- noun
- Specialized
- Holders of Class A classified stock often enjoy more voting rights than holders of Class B shares.
Examples
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The company issued classified stock to give founders greater control over corporate decisions.
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Investors should understand the differences between Class A and Class B classified stock before buying shares.
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The company issued classified stock to attract new investors.
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Many startups prefer classified stocks to maintain control.
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Holders of Class A classified stock often enjoy more voting rights than holders of Class B shares.
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Investors should understand the differences between Class A and Class B classified stock before buying shares.
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The company issued classified stock to give founders greater control over corporate decisions.
Synonyms
Shares that give part ownership of a company and usually voting rights
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'classified' (organized into categories or classes) modifies 'stock' (shares), so the meaning 'stock divided into classes with different rights' is inferable from the constituents. Although the full legal nuances (voting rights, classes A/B) are domain-specific, a B1 learner who knows both words can grasp the basic concept without prior exposure.
Etymology
Classified stock comes from the idea of shares that are classified, meaning 'sorted' into groups. Imagine piles of share cards labelled Class A and Class B: the cards are still stock, but each class has 'different rights', like more 'voting power'. That's why classified stock means shares divided into classes with different rights.