hedge investment & finance definition
A
position created when a financial contract is purchased in the futures or
options market. The purpose of the hedge is designed to protect against price
changes in the actual commodity or financial instrument. By selling a futures
contract, a producer or trader can protect against potential price declines.
Buying a futures contract protects against rising costs. In essence, a hedge
works somewhat like insurance.
See hedge in Wall Street Words
A security transaction that reduces the risk on an already existing investment position. An example is the purchase of a put option in order to offset at least partially the potential losses from owned stock. Although hedges reduce potential losses, they also tend to reduce potential profits. See also
perfect hedge,
risk hedge,
short hedge,
special arbitrage account.
A hedge that limits potential losses is also likely to limit potential gains. In May 1997 Georgia entrepreneur and billionaire Ted Turner entered into an arrangement whereby Mr. Turner had the right to sell four million of his Time Warner shares to a brokerage firm at a price of $19.815 per share. At the same time the brokerage firm acquired the right to buy the same four million shares at a price of $30.45. This particular hedge, called a collar, established a minimum and maximum value for four million shares of Time Warner owned by Mr. Turner. In other words, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, CNN, and superstation WTBS acquired the right to obtain at least $19.815 per share by agreeing to give up any increase in value above $30.45. Time Warner stock subsequently skyrocketed when America Online acquired the firm at a price nearly triple the $30.45 stipulated in the agreement. Thus, the hedge ended up costing Mr. Turner approximately a quarter of a billion dollars. On a positive note, the four million shares represented less than 4% of Mr. Turner's total holdings of Time Warner stock he had acquired when the firm bought his Turner Broadcasting several years earlier.
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