Stocks

Stocks (also known as equity investments) are securities that represent an ownership interest in a corporation. Corporations issue stock to raise funds for the company.

There are three primary reasons investors may choose to incorporate long-term, quality stocks in their portfolio:

• Higher Returns - Over a longer period of time, stocks have almost always provided higher returns than other investment alternatives.

• Rising Income - Stocks offer the potential for rising income through dividend growth. Rising income helps protect investors against inflation.

• Diversification - Stocks, combined with other types of investments, can help reduce the uncertainty of future portfolio returns, compared to owning only one type of security.

Learn more about equity investments and their place in a diversified portfolio:

• Common Stocks
• Employee Stock Option Plans

To determine if stocks are suitable for your portfolio, please contact your local financial advisor.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Edward Jones has research coverage on selected companies. Research reports are available to customers in printed form from their financial advisor. For prospective customers, please contact your nearest Edward Jones branch. Research is not available to the general public. Research reports and revisions to reports are made simultaneously available to all Edward Jones financial advisors through the firm's intranet, where they can be printed for distribution to customers and interested parties.