1. The holders of bonds issued by a given corporation are also the owners of the firm.
2. Equity capital, such as common stock, is a permanent form of financing for a corporation, as it never has to be repaid and it has no maturity date.
3. Interest paid to bondholders is tax-deductible to the issuing corporation, which lowers the cost of debt financing if the firm is profitable.
4. The payment of dividends to common stockholders by a corporation is at the discretion of the firm’s Board of Directors.
5. Similar to common stock, the dividend payment on preferred stock typically varies from year to year.
6. Preferred stock is often referred to as a “hybrid” security, as it has characterizes of both common stock and bonds.