When you invest in any security - including stocks of publicly traded companies, mutual funds, bonds, and other asset types - something comes with the package—corporate actions, which may affect a company’s stock and, therefore, its shareholders. Corporate actions can range from making a change to a company’s name to issuing a dividend or making a major restructuring of the company through a merger or bankruptcy.

Investors must be aware of changes occurring on their securities - via corporate actions. These changes may be compulsory and publicly announced, perhaps even one of the reasons you bought the security (ie dividends, interest payments, a conversion feature). However, less predictable but not uncommon outcomes (merger with another company, bankruptcy, new share issuance, offer to purchase) may occur and could require a decision to act prior to a company deadline.

These scenarios can be placed into two overall categories - mandatory and voluntary corporate actions.

Click here for helpful publicly available corporate actions information from regulatory entities, financial companies, central securities depository (CSDs), and financial technology (FinTech) sources.