Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY) has been in the news after the price of the stock hit $2.34 at the conclusion of the most recent close.  The stock is traded on OTC in the Consumer Staples sector and Food - Miscellaneous industry.   

The mathematical calculation that represents the degree of change over time is known as “percentage change”.   In finance, it serves many purposes, and is often used to represent the price change of a commodity.

Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s Price Change % over the last week is -8.16%.  It’s % Price Change over the previous month is -13.08% and previous three months is -10.35%.  Finally, looking back over the past year-to-date, Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s Price Change % is -14.47%. 

Percentage change can be applied to any quantity that is measured over time any given time period.  Say you are tracking the price of a stock.  If the price increased, the formula [(New Price - Old Price)/Old Price] is applied and then take that number and multiply it by 100.  If the price of a stock decreased, the formula [(Old Price - New Price)/Old Price] is applied then multiplied by 100.  The formula can be used to track the prices of both individual commodities and large market listings, and also used to compare the values of different currencies.  Balance sheets with comparative financial statements often will include prices of specific stocks at different time periods alongside the percentage change over the same periods of time.  

Average Volume is the amount of securities traded in a day on average over a specific time period.  Trading activity relates to the liquidity of a security.  When average volume is high, the stock has high liquidity and can be therefore easily traded, while conversely, when the trading volume is low, the commodity will be less expensive as traders are not as willing to purchase it.  Average volume has an effect on the price of the security. Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY) has seen 838.3 shares trade hands on an average basis. 

Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s 52-Week High-Low Range Price % is 4.56.  Countless factors affect a security’s price and, therefore, its range.  Macroeconomic factors such as interest rates and the economic cycle significantly impact the price of securities over lengthy periods of time.  A big recession, for example, can dramatically widen the price range equities as they plummet in price. 

Considering that price volatility is equivalent to risk, a commodity’s trading range is a great indicator of risk.  Conservative investors will gravitate towards securities with smaller price fluctuations as compared to securities with larger price swings, preferring to invest in relatively stable sectors such as health care, utilities, and telecommunications and avoiding high-beta sectors like commodities, technology, and financials.

A 52-week high/low is the highest and lowest share price that a stock has traded at during the previous year.  Investors and traders consider the 52-week high or low as a crucial factor in determining a given stock’s current value while also predicting future price movements.  When a commodity trades within its 52-week price range (the range that exists between the 52-week low and the 52-week high), investors usually show more interest as the price nears either the high or the low.

One of the more popular strategies used by traders is to buy when the price eclipses its 52-week high or to sell when the price drops below its 52-week low.  The rationale involved with this strategy says that if the price breaks out either above or below the 52-week range, there is momentum enough to continue the price fluctuation in a positive direction. Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s high over the last year was $2.97 while its low was $2.31.

Beta measures the volatility of a security in comparison to the market as a whole.  The tendency of a security’s returns is to respond to swings in the market.  For example, a beta of 1 means that the security’s price will move in lockstep with the market.  A beta of less than 1 indicates that the security will be less volatile relative to the market.  A beta of greater than 1 tells us that the security’s price will be more volatile than the market.  Beta is an expression of the tradeoff between maximizing return and minimizing risk. Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s Beta number is 1.9. 

Outstanding Shares refers to all stocks currently held by all shareholders, including blocks held by institutional and insider investors, of a given company.  Outstanding shares are shown on a company’s balance sheet as “Capital Stock.”  The number of shares outstanding is used to calculate key metrics such as a company’s earnings per share (EPS), cash flow per share (CFPS) and its market cap.  The number of outstanding shares is not static, as it can fluctuate greatly over time. Premier Foods PLC. (OTCMKTS:PRRFY)’s number of shares outstanding is 168.12m.   

Understand the trade status for whatever penny stocks you might be interested in.  Experts point out that penny stocks usually have share prices because of specific reasons.  There are certain warning signs inherent in the riskier penny stocks.  Make sure that penny stocks you’ve considered are traded over a regular market exchange and not just over-the-counter.  Over-the-counter (OTC) stock listings don’t require the same stringent regulation that larger stocks do, creating additional risk.

Penny stocks are a breeding ground for fraudsters and unscrupulous types, looking for an easy mark.  Fraudsters can make easy money is by investing large in a stock, hyping it up using questionable business practices, and then finding gullible buyers willing to take it off their hands. This nebulous strategy is called the “pump-and-dump”.

Investing in penny stocks can be one of the riskier behaviors that traders and investors engage in within the stock market.  Penny stocks are defined as stocks with a share price below a certain amount, usually under $1 per share.  Beginners find these stocks to be attractive due to their low price, but penny stocks come with more volatility and risk than the more traditional “blue chip” stocks.

If you’re thinking about investing in penny stocks, you need to understand the inherent risks involved before wagering significant amounts of money in the market.  Penny stocks aren’t necessarily traded on a major stock exchange, meaning they don’t have to file with the SEC, and aren’t publicly scrutinized, i.e., penny stocks are bets without a much information.

Most of the time there is no minimum standard that a penny stocks has to fulfill in order to remain on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) exchange.  Because of this, the added safety bubble isn’t there between sellers and investors.

Often times finding a buyer for penny stocks can prove to be difficult.  If a buyer can’t be found, a seller may have to lower the asking price, sometimes to the point where it’s no longer profitable to sell, making it a losing proposition.

Having an account with an online brokerage account is key, you need to have a straightforward way to make transactions.  Online brokerage accounts allow easy access to stocks and feature low commissions and minimal fees.  It’s important to make sure that your online brokerage account provides for you the information that you need to help you make the best decisions. The best brokerage accounts include charts, historic data and the like.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and information expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company stakeholders, financial professionals, or analysts. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized to make stock portfolio or financial decisions as they are based only on limited and open source information.