Liquidation

Filed Under » ,
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Liquidation'

1. When a business or firm is terminated or bankrupt, its assets are sold and the proceeds pay creditors. Any leftovers are distributed to shareholders.

2. Any transaction that offsets or closes out a long or short position.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Liquidation'

Creditors liquidate assets to try and get as much of the money owed to them as possible. They have first priority to whatever is sold off. After creditors are paid, the shareholders get whatever is left with preferred shareholders having preference over common shareholders.

Related Definitions

  • Liquidator

    In the most general sense, a person or entity that liquidates something. More specifically, a liquidator refers to an officer that is specially appointed to wind up the affairs of a ...
    Read More »
  • Bankruptcy

    A legal proceeding involving a person or business that is unable to repay outstanding debts. The bankruptcy process begins with a petition filed by the debtor (most common) or on behalf ...
    Read More »
  • Creditor

    An entity (person or institution) that extends credit by giving another entity permission to borrow money if it is paid back at a later date. Creditors can be classified as either ...
    Read More »
    • Liquidating Dividend

      A type of payment made by a corporation to its shareholders during its partial or full liquidation. For the most part, such a distribution is made from the company's capital base, and as ...
      Read More »
    • Quick-Rinse Bankruptcy

      A bankruptcy proceeding that is structured to move through legal proceedings faster than the average bankruptcy. The term "quick-rinse bankruptcy" first emerged during the credit crisis ...
      Read More »
    • Preferred Stock

      A class of ownership in a corporation that has a higher claim on the assets and earnings than common stock. Preferred stock generally has a dividend that must be paid out before ...
      Read More »
    • Senior Security

      A security (usually debt) that, in the event the issuer goes bankrupt, must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.
      Read More »
    • Going-Concern Value

      The value of a company as an ongoing entity. This value differs from the value of a liquidated company's assets, because an ongoing operation has the ability to continue to earn profit, ...
      Read More »
    • Writ Of Seizure And Sale

      A court order that permits a creditor to instruct a sheriff to seize and sell assets/property of a debtor in order to pay off a debt.
      Read More »
    • Distressed Securities

      A financial instrument in a company that is near or is currently going through bankruptcy. This usually results from a company's inability to meet its financial obligations. As a result, ...
      Read More »
Partner Links