A–Z
Words starting with C
188 terms in this letter.
- Cap tableThe ledger of who owns the company: shares, options, and what converts later.
- CapitalFinancial resources available for investment in business operations and growth.
- Capital AppreciationIncrease in the value of an investment over time, excluding dividends or interest.
- Capital BudgetingProcess of evaluating and selecting long-term investment projects for a company.
- Capital CostCost of funds used to finance a business, including debt and equity expenses.
- Capital expenditureFunds spent on acquiring, upgrading, or maintaining long-term assets.
- Capital expenditure budgetFinancial plan outlining planned investments in long-term assets.
- Capital gainProfit realized from the sale of an asset at a price higher than its purchase cost.
- Capital gains taxTax levied on profits from the sale of capital assets like stocks or property.
- Capital intensityAmount of capital required to generate one dollar of revenue in a business.
- Capital leaseLease agreement that transfers ownership rights to the lessee at lease end.
- Capital market efficiencyDegree to which stock prices reflect all available information accurately.
- Capital StructureMix of debt and equity financing used by a company to fund its operations.
- CapitalizationTotal value of a company's outstanding shares in the stock market.
- Capitalization rateRate of return expected on a real estate investment based on income.
- Capitalization tableDocument showing ownership percentages of all shareholders in a company.
- CappingLimiting the maximum price or rate that can be charged for a service.
- Carbon CreditPermit allowing companies to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide.
- Carrying costExpenses associated with holding inventory, including storage and insurance.
- CartelGroup of companies that collude to control prices and limit competition.
- Carve-outSale of a subsidiary or business unit while retaining partial ownership.
- Case lawLegal principles established through court decisions and judicial precedents.
- Cash balanceAmount of cash and cash equivalents held by a company at a point in time.
- Cash break-even pointSales level where cash inflows equal cash outflows, excluding non-cash expenses.
- Cash budgetFinancial plan showing expected cash receipts and payments over a period.
- Cash burn rateRate at which a company consumes its cash reserves over time.
- Cash conversion cycleTime it takes to convert investments in inventory back into cash.
- Cash Conversion RatioMeasure of how efficiently a company converts its investments into cash.
- Cash cowBusiness unit or product that generates consistent, high cash flow.
- Cash cow businessMature business that generates steady cash flow with minimal investment.
- Cash cow productProduct that generates significant cash flow with little additional investment.
- Cash CropAgricultural product grown specifically for sale rather than personal use.
- Cash discountReduction in price offered for immediate payment instead of credit terms.
- Cash dividendDistribution of company profits to shareholders in cash form.
- Cash flowMovement of money in and out of a business over a specific period.
- Cash Flow ForecastProjection of future cash inflows and outflows for business planning.
- Cash flow from operationsCash generated from core business activities, excluding financing and investing.
- Cash inflowMoney received by a business from sales, investments, or other sources.
- Cash outflowMoney paid out by a business for expenses, investments, or other costs.
- Cash ratioLiquidity ratio measuring a company's ability to pay short-term debts with cash.
- Cash SurplusExcess cash available after meeting all operational and financial obligations.
- Cash to cash cycleTime between paying for inventory and receiving cash from its sale.
- Cash-and-carryTrading strategy involving buying physical goods and selling futures contracts.
- Cash-and-carry tradeArbitrage strategy profiting from price differences between spot and futures markets.
- Cash-on-cash returnAnnual return on investment based on cash invested, excluding financing.
- CasualInformal employment arrangement with no guaranteed hours or benefits.
- Channel distributionPath through which products move from manufacturer to end consumer.
- Channel partnerThird-party company that helps sell or distribute another company's products.
- Channel strategyPlan for reaching customers through various distribution and sales channels.
- Characteristic lineGraph showing the relationship between a security's returns and market returns.
- Chart of accountsOrganized list of all accounts used in a company's accounting system.
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)Professional certification for investment and financial analysis professionals.
- Chief executive officer (CEO)Highest-ranking executive responsible for overall company strategy and operations.
- Chief financial officer (CFO)Executive responsible for financial planning, reporting, and risk management.
- Chief information officer (CIO)Executive responsible for information technology strategy and systems.
- Chief operating officer (COO)Executive responsible for day-to-day operations and business processes.
- Chief Technical Officer (CTO)Executive responsible for technology strategy and technical operations.
- Child Care LeavePaid or unpaid time off work to care for a child or family member.
- Churn ratePercentage of customers who stop using a service over a given period.
- Circuit breakerTrading halt mechanism to prevent excessive market volatility and panic selling.
- Circular flow of economic activityModel showing how money, goods, and services flow between households and firms.
- Circular flow of incomeEconomic model illustrating the continuous flow of money through an economy.
- Class action lawsuitLegal action brought by a group of people with similar claims against a defendant.
- Clean roomControlled environment with minimal contamination for manufacturing or research.
- Clearance saleRetail promotion offering significant discounts to clear excess inventory.
- ClearingProcess of settling and reconciling financial transactions between parties.
- ClearinghouseFinancial institution that facilitates the clearing and settlement of transactions.
- ClientCustomer or organization that receives services from a business or professional.
- Client-serverComputing architecture where clients request services from central servers.
- Close corporationType of corporation with limited shareholders and restricted stock transfers.
- Closed-end fundInvestment fund with a fixed number of shares that trade on exchanges.
- ClosingFinal step in completing a real estate or business transaction.
- Closing costsFees and expenses associated with finalizing a real estate transaction.
- Cloud computingDelivery of computing services over the internet instead of local hardware.
- ClusterGroup of similar businesses or industries located in the same geographic area.
- Cluster analysisStatistical method for grouping similar data points or market segments.
- Co-brandingMarketing strategy where two brands collaborate on a product or service.
- Co-creationCollaborative process where customers help design products or services.
- Co-developmentPartnership where companies work together to develop new products or technologies.
- Co-marketingCollaborative marketing efforts between two or more companies.
- Co-opetitionBusiness strategy combining cooperation and competition with other companies.
- Co-packerCompany that manufactures products for other brands under contract.
- Co-promotionJoint marketing campaign between two companies to promote each other's products.
- Co-ventureBusiness partnership where companies share resources and risks for mutual benefit.
- Coefficient of variationStatistical measure of relative variability in investment returns.
- Coercive monopolyMarket situation where one company dominates through unfair or illegal practices.
- CollaborationWorking together with others to achieve common business goals.
- CollateralAsset pledged as security for a loan to reduce lender's risk.
- Collateralized debt obligation (CDO)Complex financial security backed by a pool of loans or other assets.
- Collective bargainingNegotiation process between employers and labor unions for employment terms.
- Collective investment schemeInvestment vehicle that pools money from multiple investors.
- Collective ownershipProperty or business ownership shared among multiple individuals or groups.
- CollusionSecret cooperation between companies to limit competition and increase profits.
- Colorable imitationTrademark infringement where a mark is similar enough to cause confusion.
- Combination strategyBusiness approach that combines multiple strategic elements for competitive advantage.
- Combinatorial auctionAuction format where bidders can place bids on combinations of items.
- Commercial bankFinancial institution that provides banking services to businesses and individuals.
- Commercial paperShort-term unsecured debt instrument issued by corporations for financing.
- CommissionFee paid to salespeople or agents based on sales performance.
- Commitment feeFee charged by lenders for keeping a credit line available to borrowers.
- Common denominatorShared characteristic or factor that enables comparison between different items.
- Common marketEconomic integration where countries allow free movement of goods and services.
- Common stockType of corporate ownership that gives shareholders voting rights and dividends.
- Communal ownershipProperty ownership shared by a community or group rather than individuals.
- Community propertyLegal concept where assets acquired during marriage are jointly owned.
- CompanyLegal entity formed to conduct business operations and generate profits.
- Company cultureShared values, beliefs, and practices that define how a company operates.
- Company-specific riskInvestment risk unique to a particular company, separate from market risk.
- Comparable company analysisValuation method comparing a company to similar companies in the same industry.
- Comparable store salesRetail metric comparing sales from stores open for the same period.
- Compare to marketAnalysis method comparing a company's performance to overall market trends.
- Competitive advantageUnique strength that allows a company to outperform its competitors.
- Competitive analysisProcess of evaluating competitors' strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.
- Competitive biddingProcess where multiple suppliers submit proposals for the same project.
- Competitive intelligenceSystematic gathering and analysis of information about competitors.
- Competitive landscapeOverview of all competitors and market conditions in a specific industry.
- Competitive positioningStrategy for establishing a unique market position relative to competitors.
- Competitive strategyPlan for achieving competitive advantage in a specific market or industry.
- Competitor analysisDetailed study of competitors' business models, strategies, and performance.
- ComplianceAdherence to laws, regulations, and industry standards in business operations.
- Concentration riskInvestment risk from having too much exposure to a single asset or market.
- Concept testingMarket research method to evaluate consumer response to new product ideas.
- Conditional sales contractAgreement where ownership transfers only after certain conditions are met.
- Configuration managementProcess of tracking and controlling changes to software or system components.
- ConglomerateLarge corporation with diverse business operations across multiple industries.
- ConglomerationProcess of forming a conglomerate through acquisitions and diversification.
- Consensus forecastAverage prediction of financial analysts for a company's future performance.
- ConsignmentBusiness arrangement where goods are sold on behalf of the owner.
- ConsolidationProcess of combining multiple companies or business units into one entity.
- Constant growth modelValuation method assuming dividends or earnings grow at a constant rate.
- ConsumerIndividual or organization that purchases goods or services for personal use.
- Consumer behaviorStudy of how individuals make decisions about purchasing products and services.
- Consumer protectionLaws and regulations designed to safeguard consumer rights and interests.
- Consumer researchMarket research focused on understanding consumer needs, preferences, and behavior.
- Consumer segmentationProcess of dividing consumers into groups based on shared characteristics.
- Consumer surplusEconomic benefit consumers receive when they pay less than they're willing to pay.
- Content marketingMarketing strategy focused on creating valuable content to attract customers.
- Contingency planBackup strategy prepared for unexpected events or emergency situations.
- Contingent liabilityPotential financial obligation that depends on future events occurring.
- Contingent workerEmployee hired on a temporary or project basis without permanent status.
- Continuous improvementOngoing effort to enhance products, services, or processes incrementally.
- ContractLegally binding agreement between two or more parties defining their obligations.
- Contract manufacturingOutsourcing production to third-party manufacturers under contract.
- Contractual joint ventureBusiness partnership based on a contract rather than shared ownership.
- Contribution marginAmount remaining after variable costs are subtracted from sales revenue.
- Control groupGroup in an experiment that doesn't receive the treatment being tested.
- Convertible bondBond that can be converted into a specified number of company shares.
- Convertible noteA short-term loan that converts into equity at a later priced round.
- Convertible preferred stockPreferred stock that can be converted into common stock under certain conditions.
- Corporate actionEvent initiated by a company that affects its shareholders or securities.
- Corporate cultureShared values, beliefs, and practices that define how a company operates.
- Corporate financeArea of finance dealing with funding sources and capital structure decisions.
- Corporate governanceSystem of rules and processes for directing and controlling a company.
- Corporate income taxTax levied on corporate profits by federal and state governments.
- Corporate lawyerLegal professional specializing in business law and corporate transactions.
- Corporate social responsibility (CSR)Business practice of operating in ways that benefit society and the environment.
- Corporate strategyLong-term plan for achieving competitive advantage and business objectives.
- Cost of goods sold (COGS)Direct costs associated with producing goods sold by a company.
- Cost-benefit analysisSystematic approach to evaluating the costs and benefits of a decision.
- Cost-plus pricingPricing strategy that adds a markup to the cost of producing a product.
- Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysisFinancial analysis examining how costs, volume, and profits are related.
- Counterparty riskRisk that the other party in a financial transaction will default.
- CouponInterest payment on a bond, typically paid semiannually to bondholders.
- CreditAbility to borrow money or obtain goods and services with deferred payment.
- Credit historyRecord of a person's or company's past borrowing and repayment behavior.
- Credit riskRisk that a borrower will default on their debt obligations.
- Credit scoreNumerical representation of creditworthiness based on credit history.
- CreditorPerson or entity to whom money is owed by a debtor.
- CreditworthinessAssessment of a borrower's ability to repay debt based on financial history.
- CrowdfundingMethod of raising capital from a large number of people via online platforms.
- Crowdsourced equity funding (CEF)Form of crowdfunding where investors receive equity in the company.
- CrowdsourcingPractice of obtaining services or ideas from a large group of people online.
- Current assetsAssets that can be converted to cash within one year or business cycle.
- Current liabilitiesDebts and obligations due within one year or business cycle.
- Current ratioLiquidity ratio measuring ability to pay short-term debts with current assets.
- Customer acquisitionProcess of gaining new customers through marketing and sales efforts.
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)What you spend in sales and marketing to win one new paying customer.
- Customer lifetime value (CLV)Predicted revenue a customer will generate over their entire relationship.
- Customer loyaltyCustomer's commitment to repeatedly purchase from a particular brand.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Technology and strategy for managing customer interactions and data.
- Customer retentionAbility to keep existing customers and prevent them from switching to competitors.
- Customer satisfactionMeasure of how well a company's products or services meet customer expectations.
- Customer segmentationProcess of dividing customers into groups based on shared characteristics.
- Customer serviceSupport provided to customers before, during, and after purchase.
- CustomsGovernment agency responsible for regulating imports and exports.
- CybersecurityProtection of computer systems and networks from digital attacks and threats.
- Cyclical stockStock whose performance is closely tied to economic business cycles.
- Cyclical unemploymentUnemployment caused by economic downturns and business cycle fluctuations.