Dear Dr Stock

question: I know nothing about the stock market. I wouldn't know how to buy any kind of stock if my life depended on it! I am asking you so I won't sound like an idiot to people I actually know. Here it goes...My great aunt recently passed away and has willed me her Norfolk Southern stock and Energen stock. She has had it for at least thirty or more years. I have no idea how much stock or anything! Could this be worth a substantial amount of money? Thanks for your help!

Hi Jana,
First open an account with a brokerage firm. Deposit the "stock certificates" you inherited, there is a "cusip" number which is like a catalog number that the firm will look at. Once it is officially in the account you can call the firm and they will tell you if the stock has any value and if the stock has split and what the total amount of shares you have.

from: laurengolfer@hotmail.comDate: Tuesday, January 22, 2002
Time: 04:08 PM
question:
Is it good for a company's stock if it is about to be bought by a much more dominant company?

Hi Lauren,
Yes in most cases the dominant company will pay a premium. But in these uncertain economic times a dominant company may make a bid on a company and it could be "under-bought". This means the company could be trading at $8.00 and be bought out at $6.

from: stocks@edwhahn.infoDate: Thursday, January 24, 2002
Time: 12:57 PM
question:
Is there anyway to find out the individuals or institutions who are
buying a particular stock.

Answer to question:
If you have a "level 2" trading system you can see the "brokerage firms" who are buying and selling. As far as individuals each company has a "share holder" list but I doubt you can get your hands on them. If you are a 10% or more sharholder then it must be divulged.

Hi,
I am guessing that this happened about 10 years or more ago, but I owned some Bobbie Brooks stock. I know that the company no longer exists, but I remember getting some information that it changed over to a new company and that my stock was still good through this new company. Would you know what that company would be? Since the stock wasn't worth that much and I didn't have that many shares, I pretty much just let it go and now I can't find
that information. So whatever help you can give me will be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you,
Sandi Naylor
snaylor@uwc.edu

If the stock certificates are laying in a drawer then I suggest you deposit them with your brokerage firm. Their back office has the capability of finding out through a "serial" number which is on the front or back of the certificate and that will determine if it has any value.

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Dear Dr. Stock:
I have 101 shares of Sears, 160 shares of Allstate and 138 shares of Morgan Stanley. In view of what is going on, I think I should sell this stock. One of my questions if how long will a broker hold the stock shares and sell them when the market is on an upturn?
I am 66 years old and do not need the money now but do not want to wait to long in case the market has a bad down turn. I also have some money in mutual funds with Galaxy.
If you think it advisable that I sell -- where do you suggest I put the money?1
Thank you for whatever help you can give me.
Sincerely,
Nancy

Hi Nancy,
A broker cannot sell those shares unless you have requested a certain price or you have signed a waiver allowing him to sell at his own discretion. I feel you have good solid companies and in time they should come back its just a matter of what price you are looking for. Since you don't need the money right now I would sit and hold but if they start to move down to a level YOU feel uncomfortable with and are willing to take a loss then do so.

I have stock that recently split--what would be the selling price if I
decided to sell it?

If your stock split say 2 for 1 you sell at the price its at now. For
instance it was $50 at the close on Thursday then split 2/1, the adjusted price is now $25. If you had 400 shares you now have 800 shares the value is the same.
Companies do this to make the stock more attractive to an investor who normally could not afford the $50 price now can buy at $25.

I have some shares of stock that has recently split. I am thinking of selling these stocks--what kind of price would I get?? I think it split around $100

Thanks

If it split 2 for 1 at $100 the price would be $50 and you would have additional shares.

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