AVERAGE PAYMENT PERIOD Definition

AVERAGE PAYMENT PERIOD (APP) is the number of days an entity takes to pay off credit purchases. As the average payment period increases, cash should increase as well, but working capital will remain the same. Formula: accounts payable / (total annual purchases / 360).

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BEAR MARKET is a period of falling share prices; a pessimistic state of affairs.

DERIVATIVE is a transaction or contract whose value depends on or, as the name implies, derives from the value of underlying assets such as stock, bonds, mortgages, market indices, or foreign currencies. One party with exposure to unwanted risk can pass some or all of the risk to a second party. The first party can assume a different risk from a second party, pay the second party to assume the risk, or, as is often the case, create a combination. Derivatives are normally used to control exposure or risk. See DERIVATIVE CONTRACT.

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