How to Issue a Stock Certificate

A stock certificate represents proof of ownership or investment in a corporate financial entity. All forms of corporations, including the limited liability corporations (LLC), partnership, including limited liability (LLP), and limited partnership (LLP), should receive a certificate. An LLC certificate is called a membership certificate. The LLP and LP are called partnership certificates. A stock certificate proves ownership and thus should be carefully held by the investor.
Review the number of authorized corporate shares. This material is available in the articles of incorporation. It may also be found through the public records of the Secretary of State in the state of issuance. Issue shares for less than half of all the authorized shares so that additional members added in the future do not require a new authorization of shares by existing shareholders.
Calculate the percentage ownership of each shareholder. Allocate the appropriate number of shares based on the percentage ownership and the number of shares to be issued. For example, a shareholder owns 10 percent of a recently formed company. There are 200 shares authorized and 50 shares to be issued. The shareholder will receive stock certificates for five shares.
Each stock certificate should include the name and number of shares of the stockholder. The certificates, readily available online or in stationery stores, should include a certificate number so changes in share ownership can be easily transacted. Never change the number of shares on a certificate. A purchase should result in additional certificates being issued or the old certificate being retired and a new certificate created.
A listing of all shareholder information, including name, address, shares held and certificate numbers, should be entered into the articles of incorporation. Another copy should be kept in a separate place where it can be quickly accessed by the secretary of the company. A certificate should be sent by certified mail to each shareholder.

How to Sell the Stock Certificates of Deceased Persons

Determine whether you have legally inherited the stock certificates. If the stock certificates were granted to you by will, you will have to wait for the probate court to process the will. The probate process may take several months to more than a year. If the stock certificates were granted via a trust, the trustee of the trust will send the certificates to you, usually fairly soon after the death. Just as with probate, if the certificates pass to you by intestate succession, it will take many months or years to receive the certificates.
Review the stock certificates to determine if they need to be re-titled in your name. If the certificates contain language requiring re-titling, follow the instructions on the certificate. This often involves sending the certificate to the company with a copy of the estate document transferring the stock.
Contact a stockbroker or brokerage company to sell the stock. Make sure the certificates can be sold and that there is a market for the stock. Stock certificates in the electronic age are uncommon, and certificates are often only used for private and small companies. This sort of stock is often difficult to sell. Send the stock certificates to the stockbroker or company. If the certificates were not re-titled in your name, also transmit the estate document that transferred the stock to you.
Instruct the broker to sell your stock. The stock will usually be converted to electronic shares and sold the next trading day on the stock market.

How to Read Stock Market Reports (7 Steps)

Create a list of acronyms for stocks in your portfolio to help you read stock market reports. You should update this list every time you make a trade and keep it handy when you review reports online or in the paper.
Start your stock market report by reviewing the closing price of each stock of interest. Most reports place this number immediately after the stock symbol, and it helps you determine the strength of that stock compared with others.
Review the amount of change in stocks as you read through various market reports. Some publications utilize a percentage change figure after the closing number, while others use the difference between starting and closing prices. All publications use an up or down arrow as an indicator of growth or decline for investors.
Check the change in different indexes and industrial sectors to assess overall economic strength. Your use of the NASDAQ and the S&P 500 in the American market can help you determine overall trends in the stock market.
Investigate the 52-week range of prices for a particular stock to determine where the stock started and where it has ended. This range is given on financial-services websites and business TV shows because it is meant for serious investors.
Supplement your need for immediate news on financial TV by bookmarking several financial websites. Your online-trading platform will provide instant updates of each stock in your portfolio. Financial-television tickers move too fast for uninitiated investors to make sense of the blur of symbols and numbers.
Read analysis and company profiles on a daily basis in stock market reports. Most reports have a financial analyst take a look at high- and low-performing stocks along with company news relevant to the overall market.