- Series 79
- A FINRA qualification exam that licenses a registered representative to conduct investment banking activities, such as advising on debt or equity offerings and mergers and acquisitions.
- SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)
- The federal agency that regulates the U.S. securities markets and enforces securities laws, including the registration requirements for public offerings.
- FINRA
- The self-regulatory organization that oversees broker-dealers and administers qualification exams such as the Series 79.
- Registration Statement
- The disclosure document (such as Form S-1) filed with the SEC before securities may be publicly offered, containing the prospectus and detailed issuer information.
- Prospectus
- The primary disclosure document delivered to investors, describing the securities offered, the issuer's business, financial condition, and risk factors.
- Due Diligence
- The investigation an investment banker performs into an issuer's business, finances, and legal standing to verify disclosures and establish a defense against liability for material misstatements.
- Underwriting
- The process by which an investment bank purchases securities from an issuer and resells them to investors, assuming the risk of distribution in a firm-commitment offering.
- Initial Public Offering (IPO)
- The first sale of a company's stock to the public, transforming a private company into a publicly traded one registered with the SEC.
- Due Diligence Meeting / Road Show
- Presentations by the issuer and underwriters to prospective institutional investors to market a securities offering before pricing.
- Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
- Transactions in which companies combine or one company purchases another; a core advisory service tested on the Series 79 exam.
- Tombstone Advertisement
- A limited, plain-text notice announcing a securities offering that identifies the issuer, the securities, and the underwriters, permitted during the offering process.
- Securities Act of 1933
- The federal law governing the initial issuance of securities to the public, requiring registration with the SEC and full disclosure through a prospectus.