issuer

One who issues, emits, or publishes.

A legal entity that develops, registers and sells securities for the purpose of financing its operations. Issuers may be domestic or foreign governments, corporations or investment trusts. Issuers are legally responsible for the obligations of the issue and for reporting financial conditions, material developments and any other operational activities as required by the regulations of their jurisdictions. The most common types of securities issued are common and preferred stocks, bonds, notes, debentures, bills and derivatives.

Investopedia Says:
Say ABC Corp. sells common shares to the general public on the market in order to generate capital to finance its business operations. This means ABC Corp. is an issuer, and it's therefore required to file with regulators, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, disclosing relevant financial information about the company. ABC must also meet any legal obligations or regulations in the jurisdiction where it issued the security.

Writers of options are occasionally referred to as issuers of options because they also sell securities on a market.

Related Links:
What's an IPO, and how did everybody get so rich off them during the dotcom boom? We give you the scoop. IPO Basics Tutorial
Learn to decipher the secret language of the prospectus - it can tell you a lot about a company's future. Don't Forget To Read The Prospectus!

1. Corporation, government, or other legal entity having the authority to offer its own bond, note, or stock certificate for sale to investors.

2. Financial institution that issues credit or debit cards, for example, Visa or MasterCard credit cards, or automated teller machine debit cards. Card issuers authorize transactions on issued and outstanding cards, and mail monthly activity statements to cardholders.

3. Bank that approves a letter of credit on behalf of a particular customer, valid for a stated period.