There are a few circ*mstances in which a person can buy stock directly from a company. The following is meant to cover some of these instances, which include direct stock purchase plans, dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs), and employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs).
Direct Stock Purchase Plan
This is when a person buys stock directly from the issuing company. Several well-known companies will sell stock directly to individual investors. Most companies that offer this kind of purchase option don't charge investors a commission, and if they do, the commission or service charge is very low compared to buying stocks through a broker. If you're buying a very small number of shares and want to minimize your costs, a direct stock purchase is a great way to go.
Dividend Reinvestment Plans
Investors who own shares in a company with a dividend reinvestment plan have the option of registering with the company and participating in the plan. Instead of receiving dividends from the company, DRIP participants' dividends go directly toward buying more stock in the company. As with direct stock purchases, there are often no commission charges associated with DRIPs.
Here is how a DRIPworks:
Example
Company A pays a dividend of $0.50 per share on an annual basis, and its stock is worth $40 per share. A DRIP participating investor owns 200 shares of Company A's stock. Instead of receiving a $100 check each year in dividends, the investor can buy 2.5 shares ($100/$40 per share) of stock. These shares are given directly from the company, and no commission fees are charged.
Employee Stock Purchase Plans
For employees that work for public companies, ESPPs provide a great chance to buy the company's stock at a discount. Employees are limited in the number of shares they can buy, and it's not always a good thing to increase your holdings in your employer's company– it's a bit like putting all of your eggs into one basket.
In general, ESPPs offer employees the chance to buy stock for 85% of the market value. These stocks can go directly into a retirement fund, so there's usually an opportunity to participate in ESPPs with untaxed income; in these cases, money is deducted from an employee's salary.
FAQs
A Direct Stock Purchase Plan (DSPP) is a way for individuals to buy stocks directly from a company rather than through a brokerage. Typically, investors purchase stocks through brokerages, such as banks or online investment platforms.
Can you buy stocks directly from a company? ›
Many companies allow you to buy or sell shares directly through a direct stock plan (DSP). You can also have the cash dividends you receive from the company automatically reinvested into more shares through a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP).
Can I buy stock directly without a broker? ›
It is possible to buy stocks without a broker. In fact, there are three alternatives to using a full-service broker: opening an online brokerage account, investing in a dividend reinvestment plan, and investing in a direct stock purchase plan. So, the short answer is yes, you can buy stocks without a broker.
How do you buy stocks from companies? ›
You can open an account with an online brokerage, a full-service brokerage (a more expensive choice) or a trading app such as Robinhood or Webull. Any of these choices will allow you to buy stock in publicly traded companies. However, your bank account or other financial accounts will not allow you to purchase stocks.
Can I buy shares from my company? ›
In an employee share scheme, you get shares or can buy shares in the company you work for. This is also known as an employee share purchase plan, share options or equity scheme. Companies use share schemes to attract, retain and motivate employees. They also align employee interests with those of shareholders.
Is direct stock purchase a good idea? ›
One of the benefits of investing through a direct stock purchase plan is the ability to incrementally invest in an inexpensive way. This might make it a good choice for some first-time investors with smaller amounts of money to invest, with initial deposits ranging from $100 to $500.
Can I buy Coca Cola stock directly? ›
Shares can be purchased through a Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan sponsored and administered by Computershare Trust Company, N.A. Details about the Computershare Investment Plan, including any fees associated with the Plan, can be viewed and printed from Computershare's website.
What is the best stock to buy for beginners? ›
Best Stocks To Invest In 2024 For Beginners
- UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 104. Quarterly Revenue Growth: 14.10% ...
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 109. ...
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) ...
- Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) ...
- Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM)
20 high-dividend stocks
| Company | Dividend Yield |
|---|
| Franklin BSP Realty Trust Inc. (FBRT) | 11.60% |
| Angel Oak Mortgage REIT Inc (AOMR) | 11.58% |
| Altria Group Inc. (MO) | 9.79% |
| Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (WASH) | 9.16% |
17 more rows7 days ago
Brokers help you access exchanges. In order to invest in the stock market, you'll need a broker to get your orders to the stock exchange. The same goes if you want to trade on the futures market or buy and sell options—the broker is your intermediary.
Examples of companies that offer direct stock purchase plans are Walmart, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola. Similar to the brokerage model, investors initiate the direct stock purchase by transferring money from their checking or savings accounts, and the money is used to purchase shares.
What is the easiest way to buy stocks? ›
One of the easiest ways is to open an online brokerage account and buy stocks or stock funds. If you're not comfortable with that, you can work with a professional to manage your portfolio, often for a reasonable fee. Either way, you can invest in stock online at little cost.
How do you buy stock in a company before it goes public? ›
Investing in a Pre-IPO requires the help of a broker. Pre-IPO companies and their details, such as brokerage fees and share prices, are disclosed by your broker. If you wish to invest in the Pre-IPO, you must send the investment amount to the broker, who will transfer the amount to the company's account.
How to buy stocks for beginners? ›
How to buy stocks in 6 steps
- Select an online stockbroker. The easiest way to buy stocks is through an online stockbroker. ...
- Research the stocks you want to buy. ...
- Decide how many shares to buy. ...
- Buy stocks using the right order type for you. ...
- Optimize your stock portfolio. ...
- Know when to sell stocks — and when not to.
Stock shares will not incur taxes until they are sold, no matter how long the shares are held or how much they increase in value. Most taxpayers pay a higher rate on their income than on any long-term capital gains they may have realized.
Is buying stocks tax deductible? ›
Investment interest expense
If you itemize, you may be able to deduct the interest paid on money you borrowed to purchase taxable investments—for example, margin loans to buy stock or loans to buy investment property.
What is the best way to buy stocks? ›
One of the easiest ways is to open an online brokerage account and buy stocks or stock funds. If you're not comfortable with that, you can work with a professional to manage your portfolio, often for a reasonable fee. Either way, you can invest in stock online at little cost.
Can I buy Apple stock without a broker? ›
Can I purchase stock directly from Apple? No, but Apple stock can be purchased through just about any brokerage firm, including online brokerage services.
Is Home Depot stock a buy or sell? ›
Home Depot has a conensus rating of Moderate Buy which is based on 19 buy ratings, 6 hold ratings and 2 sell ratings. The average price target for Home Depot is $385.71. This is based on 27 Wall Streets Analysts 12-month price targets, issued in the past 3 months.
