How to Calculate Par Value of Common Stock (3 Steps)

Look through the company's financial statements for the balance sheet. It should have three sections: assets, liabilities and shareholders' equity. Go to the shareholders' equity section of the balance sheet. Sometimes the company uses the term 'stockholders' equity,' which means the same thing.
Identify the line referring to the company's issuance of common stock. It will say something such as 'book value of common shares outstanding' or 'book value of common shares.' This line will also provide the number of shares outstanding and the par value of the common stock, if any.
If the par value is not explicitly stated, divide the book value of the common shares outstanding by the number of common shares outstanding. The result is the par value for one share of that company's common stock.

How to Find the Cheapest Online Stock Trading Sites

Run an online search to find the cheapest online stock trading sites that are available, using a search engine. You will probably find many advertisements during your search that will point to some of the lowest cost providers that are available. Some may even offer a special block of free trades for signing up with them.
Read reviews of various discount online brokers posted by financial websites and blogs. Understand that some of the reviewers may be financially compensated for the review or paid based on any affiliate link provided within the review. Regardless of the intent of the author, these reviews often contain some quality information that you can use to help you make a your selection of the cheapest online stock trading site that fits your needs.
Look for comparisons of the cheapest online stock trading sites that are included on reputable financial websites. You may be able to find a breakdown comparison between similar online discount brokers that lists specific costs and included tools. Consider all factors when making your decision between seemingly equivalent online brokers.
Open up an account with the minimal initial required amount of money and test out online discount brokers on your list of potential sites. One of the best opportunities to learn and educate yourself is through personal experience. You can find the cheapest online stock trading site that is the best fit for you by testing out several sites and staying with the account that you like the most. Once you have decided on one or two sites, you can close out your other accounts and transfer your funds into the one that you picked as the best.

How to Check Your Stock

Locate the initial order you placed for your stock. It will show a breakdown of the price you paid per share.
Look up the ticker symbol for your stock. It may be printed on your initial order, however you can also look it up at any financial services website, or simply google the company name.
Look up the current stock price by visiting one of the sites in the resource section, or by looking in a current newspaper. Locate the ticker symbol in the column, and scan over to the current stock price.
Once you have located the current stock price, subtract the current price from the price you paid. This number is your total amount of profit or loss per share.
If you use a financial broker who handles all of your stock purchases, you can contact them directly to have an updated financial statement sent to you immediately—either through postal mail, express delivery or by email.

How to Buy Stock Shares Online

Go to the website of several online brokers to research which one is the best for you. Compare commission prices, minimum amount of funds needed to open and maintain an account and other fees, such as account inactivity fees. If you need help picking an online broker, many financial magazines publish guides to the best brokers. For example, Barron's has an annual ranking of the best online brokerages. In recent years Fidelity, Muriel Siebert and Scottrade have ranked well.
Open a brokerage account.
Fund your account. You can send the brokerage a check or you can transfer money directly from your bank account into your brokerage account. You can also set up automatic recurring investments. You will receive an email confirmation once the funds have been applied to your account.
Place trades. Log in to the brokerage website and place a trade. After you confirm the trade, the brokerage will send the trade to the stock exchange, execute the trade and send you a confirmation.
Track your Investments. Most online brokerages allow you to actively track your investments in real time. Log in to your brokerage account to see the current prices of your stocks, your profit and losses and your account balances.