Science, Industry and Business Library > Financial Services Information Sources

Transfer Agents

Companies that have publicly traded securities typically use transfer agents to keep track of the individuals and entities that own their stocks and bonds. Most transfer agents are banks or trust companies, but sometimes a company acts as its own transfer agent.

Transfer agents perform three main functions:

1. Issue and cancel certificates to reflect changes in ownership. For example, when a company declares a stock dividend or stock split, the transfer agent issues new shares.
2. Act as an intermediary for the company. A transfer agent may also serve as the company’s paying agent to pay out interest, cash and stock dividends, or other distributions to stock- and bondholders.
3. Handle lost, destroyed, or stolen certificates. Transfer agents help shareholders and bondholders when a stock or bond certificate has been lost, destroyed, or stolen.

Finding transfer agents:

Annual Report:

This information appears on the next to last page of the Company's Annual Report. The Annual Report will also have the phone number to call which many other sources do not have.

Electronically:

Investor relations section of the company’s website
Mergent Online (Basic search---then choose annual report or click on Tear Sheets and then on Fact Sheet) 
S&P Net Advantage (Corporation Records)

In Paper:

Mergent Manuals
Mergent's Handbook of Common Stocks
Standard & Poor’s Corporation Records

All located in the Financial Services area.

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