Companies with direct stock purchase plans
EQ provides strategic solutions for shareowner management. We offer a range of transfer agent services that enable our clients to manage share registers, communicate with shareowners and undertake significant corporate actions — simply and effectively. Our suite of investment plans are offered by industry leading experts that can guide you through the complexities of SEC filings, compliance, and regulatory infrastructure to find the best plan for your company, shareowners, investors and employees. A direct stock purchase plan DSPP is an investment plan that allows individuals to purchase stock in a company directly from the company or through their transfer agent. Companies that pay a dividend can also enable those same individuals to automatically reinvest some or all of their dividends into the purchase of more stock from the same company.
Direct Stock Purchase Plan
Investing wth DSPPs is a low-cost way to invest directly with a publicly traded company. These plans are generally set up directly with the company or are administered through a third party transfer agent. Using a direct stock purchase plan has advantages over both traditional and online discount brokers.
First, these plans avoid sometimes costly commissions and fees charged by brokerage firms. Another important benefit of using a DSPP is the passive investing opportunities that come with them. Investors can usually set up an automatic investment which transfers money from a bank account and purchases shares with the money. For as many reasons as there are to like direct stock purchase plans, there are some disadvantages investors should be aware of.
T here are a number of different ways to invest in the stock market. Online discount brokers tend to be the most popular choice for buying and selling stock based on convenience and relatively low commissions and fees.
Then there are traditional brokerage firms that may charge higher fees but offer more stock market advice. Several well known publicly traded companies i. This is known as a direct stock purchase plan and can be a low cost and efficient way to build a long term portfolio. A direct stock purchase plan DSPP is a service offered by some companies that allows investors the opportunity to purchase stock directly from the company or a third party agent.
While not every publicly traded company offers a DSPP, there are plenty of top quality dividend paying stocks that do. An investor who decides to purchase stock from one of these plans is able to eliminate the need to use a traditional or online broker. Buying and selling stock through an online broker offers a convenient and low-cost way to invest.
While there are plenty of advantages to using an online stock broker to buy and sell stock, using direct stock purchase plans should not be entirely ignored. Most direct stock purchase plans allow shareholders the ability to set up a recurring investment every month. Stocks can automatically be purchased using funds withdrawn from your checking or savings account on a recurring basis. This takes many of the hassles out of purchasing stock for investors looking to simplify their finances.
One option offered by most company plans is to sign up for dividend reinvestment. This is similar to setting up a DRiP through an online broker. By opting to reinvest dividends, an investor can accumulate additional shares with no additional commission or fees.
Have you ever purchased a stock at its high and then watched it go down after you bought it? One way to avoid this phenomenon and avoid overpaying for a stock is through dollar cost averaging. Investors who decide to set up automatic investments from a DSPP are able to dollar cost average into a stock. This is a great way to build your shares in a company by paying a competitive share price over many months.
This is a great way to reduce the cost of building a solid portfolio of stocks. A great thing about a DSPP is that investors can purchase fractional shares of stock. This makes it easier for the beginning investor with little funds to initiate a position in a stock.
The direct purchase plans will let the investor buy fractional shares which makes it easier to start a position. Since investors can purchase fractional shares through a direct stock purchase plan, it lowers the initial investment requirement. While purchasing stock directly from a company or transfer agent has plenty of advantages, there are a few things investors should consider first.
Here are 5 disadvantages for those looking to invest directly with a company instead of a broker. Several companies charge an initial setup fee when an investor opens a purchase plan account. These costs cover administrative expenses and must be paid before any stock is purchased.
If the investor plans to own shares in the stock long term, then this expense is minimal compared to brokerage fees and commissions. One of the biggest downsides of purchasing stock from a DSPP are the automatic investment fees charged by some of the companies. It is important to note that not all companies charge the same fees, but this is something to watch out for when you go to buy stock. If you are a short term trader, then stick with your low-cost discount broker.
Direct stock purchase plans are tailored to the long term investor, not a day trader. While a DSPP may be great for a long term dividend investor , they are not as convenient to those moving in and out of different stocks in a short amount of time. One of the advantages of buying stock through a DSPP is the low barriers to entry. While most companies offer these low initial investment requirements, some make it more difficult to open an account.
This can be a high initial requirement for the average investor looking to build a diversified portfolio. A large initial investment also defeats the purposes of dollar cost averaging into a stock which is an advantage of a DSPP. By purchasing stock directly from a company or third party transfer agent, investors lose the ability to consolidate their holdings. Investors who prefer to keep their stock positions in the same account may want to stick with using an online broker.
Since direct stock purchase plans are opened outside of any stockbroker, the investor loses the ability to keep their assets in a single account which can make it more difficult to track and manage investments. Direct stock purchase plans offer another alternative to buying and selling stocks other than traditional and online brokers. These plans offer several advantages over the other methods of allocating stock, including lower fees and commissions.
A DSPP also gives the investor the tools to set up automatic investing each month as well as DRIP dividend reinvestment , which can be huge time and money savers. While an investor may avoid certain broker fees, some companies charge administration and automatic investment fees for investors buying stock directly from them. Therefore, these plans are not tailored to the short term trader and favor the buy and hold investor over time.
Overall, direct stock purchase plans have plenty of advantages compared to brokers, making them a viable investment tool. Have you invested through a direct stock purchase plan? What disadvantages can you add for interested investors? John Schroeder writes about investing and other topics at The Money Sprout where he shares his goals on how to create passive streams of income so he can spend more time doing the things he enjoys, and less time working.
I can see where it would be difficult to diversify with multiple accounts at different companies along with the added hassle of trying to sell stock holdings. What is the fastest way and DIY method to do it tomorrow? Minimalist, you would need to open a brokerage account, or buy directly from the company. You will need to fund your account if you use a brokerage account, which can take several days, depending on your brokerage firm and your bank.
Funding may be different if you buy directly from the company. Your email address will not be published. Disclaimer: The content on this site is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not professional financial advice.
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These companies do not charge fees for investing or reinvesting dividends to purchase shares. shareholder status in order to enroll in the company direct investment plan. DRIP Club Membership and those who have purchased "Full Online Access" get You will also be signed up to receive our monthly stock special. First, when you buy a company's stock through a transfer agent, you don't have to participate in a monthly purchase plan; you can make a single.
The Clorox Direct Stock Purchase Plan DSPP is a direct stock purchase and dividend reinvestment plan that provides a simple and economical method for investors to make an initial investment in shares of The Clorox Company common stock or to increase their existing holdings of Clorox common stock. Tax Implications Reinvested dividends are subject to income taxes as if they were paid to you in cash. Plan Brochure.
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It's designed for individual investors who might otherwise avoid making small, long-term stock purchases because of large minimum brokerage fees. You always have control of your shares.
Available Companies
More than companies listed on major exchanges now offer small investors the option of buying stock directly from them. The types of companies you can buy stock directly from include big box stores, businesses in the restaurant industry and even some large manufacturers. DSPPs are a simple idea, really. An investor opens an account with a company through a transfer agent and deposits funds in the account. Ownership of shares is then transferred to the investor.
Direct Stock Purchase Plans – Pros & Cons of Buying Stock Directly from the Company
Investing wth DSPPs is a low-cost way to invest directly with a publicly traded company. These plans are generally set up directly with the company or are administered through a third party transfer agent. Using a direct stock purchase plan has advantages over both traditional and online discount brokers. First, these plans avoid sometimes costly commissions and fees charged by brokerage firms. Another important benefit of using a DSPP is the passive investing opportunities that come with them. Investors can usually set up an automatic investment which transfers money from a bank account and purchases shares with the money. For as many reasons as there are to like direct stock purchase plans, there are some disadvantages investors should be aware of. T here are a number of different ways to invest in the stock market. Online discount brokers tend to be the most popular choice for buying and selling stock based on convenience and relatively low commissions and fees.
Completing your account up to computershare is worth your alphabet direct stock purchase plan and.
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How to Buy Stocks Online Without a Broker – Direct Stock Purchase Plans
While many investors choose to buy and sell investments through a brokerage account , some investors may wonder how they can buy stocks without a broker. Direct investment plans offer the brokerage alternative that those investors are seeking. If your primary investing goal is to acquire a single company's stock as directly as possible, one of these plans can help you achieve that goal, but be aware of the drawbacks that come with avoiding brokerage services before you abandon them completely. Often, the easiest method of buying stocks without a broker is by participating in a company's direct stock plan DSP. These plans were originally conceived generations ago as a way for businesses to let smaller investors buy ownership directly from the company. Investors buy-in by transferring money from their checking or savings account. The company will establish minimum investment amounts, both for the initial purchase and for any subsequent purchases. The plan administrators batch the cash from those participating in the direct stock plan and use it to buy shares of the company at regular intervals and at the average market price. Companies may also offer a dividend reinvestment plan DRIP. These are similar to direct stock plans, except that they automate the process of buying more stock over the years. DRIPs automatically take cash dividends paid out by the company you own and use them to buy more shares.
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Some companies that offer DSPPs make the plans directly available to retail investors while others use transfer agents or other third-party administrators to handle these transactions. Such plans offer low fees and sometimes the ability to purchase shares at a discount. Not all companies offer DSPPs; and these plans may come with restrictions about when an individual may purchase shares. Such plans have lost some of their appeal over the last two decades as investing through online brokers has become less expensive and more convenient, though DSPPs still offer advantage for the long-term investor who doesn't have much money to get started. A DSPP allows individual investors to establish and account in which to make deposits for the purpose of purchasing shares directly from a given company. They investor makes a monthly deposit usually by ACH and the company applies that amount towards purchasing shares. Each month the plan purchase new stock shares, or fractions of them, based on money available from deposits or dividend payouts if any. This mechanism makes it easy and automatic to slowly accumulate shares from a given company. Because these plans often have very low fees and sometimes no fees , it makes DSPPs an inexpensive way for first-time investors to enter the financial markets. DRIPs allow investors to reinvest their cash dividends into additional shares or fractional shares of the underlying stock on the dividend payment date.
