Short Sale

Definition

A short sale is a financial transaction where an investor sells a security that they do not own, typically by borrowing it from a broker. This is done in the hope that the security’s price will decline in the future, allowing the investor to buy it back at a lower price for a profit. It is a betting against the market strategy, which can carry high risk if the price of the security increases.

Phonetic

The phonetics of the keyword “Short Sale” is /ʃɔːrt seɪl/.

Key Takeaways

1. Prevents Foreclosure: One of the main advantages of short sales is they help homeowners avoid foreclosure. If you can’t make your mortgage repayments, rather than letting the lender begin the foreclosure process, you can work with them to arrange a short sale. This can protect your credit history.
2. Requires Lender Agreement: Short sales require the agreement of your mortgage lender. This is because they’ll be accepting less than the outstanding mortgage balance on the property. The lender reviews the short sale proposal which should include a hardship letter explaining why you can’t continue making mortgage repayments.
3. Potential Tax Implications: The cancelled debt from the sale – the difference between the sale proceeds and what you owed on your mortgage – may be considered taxable income. There can be exceptions to this rule, so it’s recommended that you consult with a tax professional to understand the implications better.

Importance

A short sale is a crucial concept in finance and business because it is a strategic tool for making potential profits even from a declining market. It involves selling an asset that one does not own, typically a stock, with the expectation that its price will decrease. Thus, an investor can sell borrowed stocks and purchase them back later at a lower price, benefiting from the difference. Furthermore, short sales contribute to market efficiency by correcting overpriced securities, bringing their prices closer to their true economic value. Understanding short sales is critical for investors as it provides a broader strategy beyond buying low and selling high, therefore expanding the potential for financial gains.

Explanation

The purpose of a short sale in finance is to take advantage of an anticipated decline in the price of a particular security or asset. Short selling is a strategy used predominantly by speculators, market makers, and hedgers to profit from the falling prices of tradable assets such as stocks, bonds, or commodities. It allows these players to sell an asset that they do not own, with the idea of buying it back later at a lower price for profit. It is also extensively used by portfolio managers and individual investors for risk management and portfolio rebalancing purposes.Moreover, short selling plays a vital role in maintaining market liquidity, which in turn improves pricing efficiency. By providing a counter-balance to the prevalent ‘buy-and-hold’ investment strategy, short sellers help prevent excessive price appreciation driven by overly optimistic investors. Importantly, short selling can also serve as a market signal, highlighting potential issues with a company’s fundamentals or market overvaluation, thereby serving a broader market surveillance function. Despite often being depicted negatively, short selling therefore plays a constructive role in maintaining a well-functioning and balanced financial market.

Examples

1. Residential Property: John bought a house in Florida for $300,000. However, due to a downturn in the real estate market, the value of the house drops to $250,000. Unfortunately, John loses his job and can no longer afford mortgage payments. He owes the bank more than $250,000, but to avoid foreclosure, he can negotiate with his lender to sell the house as a short sale for its current market value.2. Stock Market: Say an investor believes the stock of a company XYZ, currently priced at $100, is overvalued and will decrease in price. The investor borrows shares from a brokerage firm and sells them at the current market price. Later, when XYZ’s stock price falls to $80, the investor buys the shares back on the open market to return to the brokerage. This is an example of a short sale in the stock market. By doing this, the investor has made a profit of $20 per share.3. Retail Business: Sarah owns a clothing store. She bought a batch of designer jeans for $50 per pair, expecting to sell them for $100. Unexpectedly, a similar style becomes wildly popular, making her jeans less appealing. To quickly sell the jeans and recover some of her investment, Sarah decides to run a short sale, lowering the price to $40 per pair. While she takes a loss, she is able to minimize it by selling the jeans quickly instead of holding onto the unsellable stock.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

Related Finance Terms

• Margin Call
• Bear Market
• Outstanding Shares
• Covered Short Selling
• Naked Short Selling

Sources for More Information

• Investopedia
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• Nolo
• Bankrate