stock certificate

A certificate establishing ownership of a stated number of shares in a corporation's stock.

Another name for stock, certificate actually refers to the physical piece of paper representing ownership in a company.

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Documentation of a shareholder's ownership in a corporation. Stock certificates are engraved intricately on heavy paper to deter forgery. They indicate the number of shares owned by an individual, their Par Value (if any), the Class of stock (for example, common or preferred), and attendant voting rights. To prevent theft, shareholders often store certificates in safe deposit boxes or take advantage of a broker's Safekeeping service. Stock certificates become negotiable when endorsed.

Written instrument evidencing a share in the ownership of a corporation. See securities.