Newsletter Glossary · Abbreviations & Terms

186 entries · alphabetical · auto-updated by newsletter_builder
Categories: valuation profitability growth leverage / liquidity technical macro memory / semis industry skill / framework format / filings

#

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
10-KAnnual Report (Form 10-K)Annual SEC report. Most comprehensive mandatory filing.format
10-QQuarterly Report (Form 10-Q)Quarterly SEC filing. Unaudited.format
10b5-1Rule 10b5-1 Trading PlanPre-planned insider sale schedule. Weaker signal than discretionary sales.format
8-KCurrent Report (Form 8-K)Ad-hoc filing for material events (earnings, M&A, CEO change).format

A

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
ADAirworthiness DirectiveMandatory FAA (or equivalent) regulatory order requiring aircraft operators to perform specific inspections, repairs, or modifications. Can affect engine OEM cost recovery and Services margins.format
adj op marginAdjusted Operating MarginOperating income (excluding stock-based compensation + one-time items) divided by revenue. Non-GAAP. Most software companies report both GAAP and adjusted versions; the gap is mostly SBC.<10% subscale · 10-25% maturing · 25-40% strong · >40% best-in-classprofitability
ADRAverage Daily RangeAverage daily price range over N days, in percent.technical
ARRAnnual Recurring RevenueAnnual recurring revenue (typical SaaS metric).industry
ASPAverage Selling PriceAverage selling price per unit (memory: per GB).memory
ATHAll-Time HighHighest price ever reached.technical
ATLAll-Time LowLowest price ever reached.technical
ATMAt-the-MoneyOption with strike ≈ current price.technical
ATRAverage True RangeAverage daily range. Useful for stop-loss placement.technical

B

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
B2BBusiness-to-BusinessSales to other businesses.industry
B2CBusiness-to-ConsumerSales to end consumers.industry
BBBollinger BandsVolatility band: moving average ± 2 standard deviations.technical
Bear SteelmanBear SteelmanDiscipline of formulating the strongest possible counter-argument to your own thesis.skill
BetaBetaVolatility relative to market. 1 = market-like, >1 more volatile, <1 less volatile.<0.8 defensive · 0.8-1.2 market-like · 1.2-1.8 cyclical · >1.8 highly volatiletechnical
Bit GrowthBit GrowthGrowth of memory bits shipped — primary demand metric.memory
BoDBoard of DirectorsBoard of directors.industry
BpBasis Point1 bp = 0.01 percentage point. 100 bps = 1%.macro
BpsBasis PointsPlural of bp.macro
BUBusiness UnitBusiness segment within a corporation.industry

C

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
CACCustomer Acquisition CostCost to acquire a new customer.industry
CAGRCompound Annual Growth RateGeometric average growth rate per year over multiple periods.growth
Calendar YearCalendar YearThe Jan-Dec calendar period. Used to distinguish from Fiscal Year (FY) when comparing companies with non-calendar fiscal years.growth
CANSLIMCANSLIM (O'Neill Framework)Growth-stock screening: Current EPS, Annual EPS, New, Supply/Demand, Leader, Institutional, Market direction.skill
CapExCapital ExpendituresInvestments in physical assets (factories, machinery, infrastructure).profitability
Capital CycleCapital Cycle (Marathon)Sector-investing framework: returns fluctuate with industry CapEx cycles (entrant pressure vs discipline).skill
CEOChief Executive OfficerChief executive.industry
CESCommercial Engines & Services (GE Aerospace segment)GE Aerospace's largest reporting segment: commercial aircraft engines (OE) plus aftermarket spare parts and maintenance services (Services). Represents roughly 75-80% of GE Aerospace revenue.industry
CFMCFM International50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, producing the CFM56 (legacy) and LEAP (current) commercial engine families. World's largest producer of commercial jet engines by volume.industry
CFOChief Financial OfficerChief financial officer.industry
ChurnChurn RateCustomer attrition rate per period.<5% very good · 5-10% ok · >15% problematicindustry
CNBUCompute & Networking Business UnitMicron segment for DRAM in servers, PCs, networking, AI/HBM.memory
COGSCost of Goods SoldDirect production costs of goods sold.profitability
COOChief Operating OfficerChief operating officer.industry
Core CPICore Consumer Price IndexCPI excluding food and energy.macro
Core PCECore Personal Consumption ExpendituresPCE excluding food and energy. Fed's main benchmark.macro
CPIConsumer Price IndexConsumer price index — primary inflation measure.<2% low · 2-3% near Fed target · 3-5% elevated · >5% crisismacro
CTOChief Technology OfficerChief technology officer.industry
Current RatioCurrent RatioCurrent assets / current liabilities. Short-term liquidity.<1 problematic · 1-1.5 ok · 1.5-3 solid · >3 possibly inefficientliquidity
Curve InversionYield Curve InversionShort-term yields above long-term (e.g., 10y < 2y). Historical recession indicator.macro
CXMTChangXin Memory TechnologiesChina's largest DRAM manufacturer. Emerging competitor to Samsung/SK Hynix/Micron.memory

D

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
D/EDebt / EquityDebt relative to equity. Capital-structure indicator.<0.3 conservative · 0.3-1.0 normal · >1.5 aggressiveleverage
DAUDaily Active UsersDaily active users (social/app metric).industry
DCFDiscounted Cash FlowValuation method: future free cash flows discounted to present value.valuation
DEF 14ADefinitive Proxy StatementAnnual proxy filing — contains executive compensation, director bios, shareholder proposals.format
DFEDTARUFed Funds Target Range (Upper)Upper bound of the Fed Funds target corridor.macro
DFFFederal Funds Rate (Effective)Effective US policy rate (weighted market average).macro
DGS1010-Year Treasury Constant MaturityFRED series code for the 10-year UST yield.macro
DGS22-Year Treasury Constant MaturityFRED series code for the 2-year UST yield.macro
Div YieldDividend YieldAnnual dividend per share divided by the current share price.valuation
Dividend YieldDividend YieldAnnual dividend per share divided by the current share price.valuation
DPTDefense & Propulsion Tech (GE Aerospace segment)GE Aerospace's defense reporting segment: military engines (F110, T901, GE426), Avio Aero (Italian aerospace subsidiary), and propulsion technology programs. Roughly 25% of GE Aerospace revenue.industry
DRAMDynamic Random Access MemoryMain memory (RAM). Largest memory market by revenue.memory
DrawdownDrawdownMaximum percent loss from peak to trough over a period.technical
DXYUS Dollar IndexUSD exchange rate vs basket of 6 major currencies.macro

E

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
EARExport Administration RegulationsUS export controls administered by the Department of Commerce, covering dual-use commercial and defense technologies.format
EBITEarnings Before Interest and TaxesOperating profit before interest and taxes. Core measure of operating profitability.profitability
EBITDAEarnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, AmortizationOperating cash earnings before all non-cash items. Popular for LBO/PE analysis.profitability
EBUEmbedded Business UnitMicron segment for automotive, industrial, consumer embedded.memory
EDGARElectronic Data Gathering, Analysis, RetrievalSEC database of all public-company filings.format
EMAExponential Moving AverageExponentially weighted average — recent prices weighted more heavily.technical
EPSEarnings Per ShareProfit per share. Net income / diluted share count.profitability
ESGEnvironmental, Social, GovernanceSustainability rating criteria.industry
EVEnterprise ValueMarket cap + net debt + minorities. What you'd pay to acquire the whole firm.valuation
EV/EBITDAEnterprise Value / EBITDAValues EV against operating cash EBITDA, ignoring capital structure.<6 very cheap · 6-10 fair · 10-15 growth · >15 expensivevaluation
EV/SalesEnterprise Value / SalesEV relative to revenue — comparable to P/S but capital-structure adjusted.valuation
EVPExecutive Vice PresidentSenior VP rank (just below C-suite).industry

F

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
FabFabrication PlantSemiconductor factory (wafer production).memory
FCFFree Cash FlowOperating cash flow minus CapEx. Cash freely available for dividends, buybacks, M&A.Negative bad (except growth phase) · growing good · stable/high idealprofitability
FCF MarginFree Cash Flow MarginFCF / Revenue. How much cash per dollar of sales?<5% thin · 5-15% solid · 15-25% strong · >25% premiumprofitability
FCFEFree Cash Flow to EquityFCF after debt service — the portion belonging to equity holders.valuation
FCFFFree Cash Flow to FirmFCF before capital structure — belongs to equity + debt holders.valuation
Federal ReserveFederal ReserveUS central bank.macro
FloatPublic FloatFreely tradeable share count (excluding insider/restricted holdings).format
FOMCFederal Open Market CommitteeMonetary policy committee of the Fed (8 meetings/year).macro
Form 4Statement of Changes in Beneficial OwnershipInsider transactions (purchases/sales by officers/directors).format
Forward (Fwd)Forward / Forward-LookingA metric projected for a future period, typically next twelve months (NTM) or next fiscal year. Example: Forward P/E = price divided by EPS expected for next FY. Distinguished from TTM (trailing twelve months) which is backward-looking.growth
FoundrySemiconductor FoundryContract manufacturer (TSMC, Samsung Foundry, GlobalFoundries).memory
FREDFederal Reserve Economic DataSt. Louis Fed database of thousands of economic time series.macro
FYFiscal YearA company's accounting year, often different from the calendar year. Examples: Apple FY ends late September, Micron in late August, Walmart in late January, IBM and most others in late December. Always specify which FY when comparing peers with different year-ends.growth
FY-Q1Fiscal Year, Quarter 1The first quarter of a company's fiscal year. Note this may NOT correspond to calendar Q1 (Jan-Mar). Apple FY-Q1 = Oct-Dec, Micron FY-Q1 = Sep-Nov, IBM FY-Q1 = Jan-Mar.growth
FY26eFiscal Year 2026 EstimateEstimated/forecast results for the company's fiscal year 2026. The 'e' suffix means estimated - usually consensus analyst estimate or management guidance. Forward-looking; not actual reported financials. Always tagged (est) per language-calibration discipline.growth

G

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
GAAPGenerally Accepted Accounting PrinciplesUS accounting standards (official, SEC-compliant).profitability
GARPGrowth at a Reasonable PriceLynch style: growth stocks at reasonable valuation (PEG-oriented).skill
GDPGross Domestic ProductGross domestic product.macro
GE9XGE9X EngineGE Aerospace turbofan jet engine designed for the Boeing 777X widebody aircraft - the largest commercial jet engine ever built.industry
GEnxGEnx EngineGE Aerospace turbofan jet engine used on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebody aircraft.industry
GMGross Margin(Revenue − COGS) / Revenue. How much remains after direct product costs?<20% commodity · 20-40% industry · 40-60% brand/software · >60% very strongprofitability

H

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
HBMHigh Bandwidth Memory3D-stacked DRAM for AI accelerators (GPUs). High-margin vs commodity DRAM.memory
HBM3EHBM3 Extended5th HBM generation, primarily shipping in NVIDIA H200/B200 in 2024-25.memory
HBM4HBM4 (Generation 4)6th HBM generation, ramping in 2026. 16-Hi variant in development for 2H26.memory
HyperscalerHyperscalerMajor cloud provider (AWS, Azure, GCP, Meta, Oracle).industry

I

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
ICRInterest Coverage RatioEBIT / interest expense. How many times does earnings cover interest?<2 risky · 2-5 ok · 5-10 solid · >10 very safeleverage
InsiderInsider (Corporate)Officer, director, or >10% holder — must report via Form 4.format
IPOInitial Public OfferingInitial public offering.industry
IRInvestor RelationsInvestor-relations function.industry
ITARInternational Traffic in Arms RegulationsUS export controls administered by the State Department, covering defense articles and services.format
ITMIn-the-MoneyOption with intrinsic value (call: strike < price; put: strike > price).technical
IVImplied VolatilityExpected volatility implied by option prices.technical

J

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
JVJoint VentureA legal partnership in which two or more firms share ownership, risk, and profit of a specific business. CFM International (GE + Safran 50/50) is a leading aerospace JV example.industry

L

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
LBOLeveraged BuyoutAcquisition financed heavily with debt.industry
LEAPLEAP Engine (CFM)Family of turbofan jet engines produced by CFM International (the GE + Safran 50/50 joint venture). LEAP-1A powers the Airbus A320neo family; LEAP-1B powers the Boeing 737 MAX.industry
LTALong-Term AgreementMulti-year supply contract with fixed-pricing structure. Smooths memory cycles.memory
LTMLast Twelve MonthsSynonym for TTM.growth
LTVCustomer Lifetime ValueExpected revenue contribution from a customer over their lifetime.industry

M

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
M&AMergers & AcquisitionsMergers and acquisitions.industry
MA200200-Day Moving AverageAverage of the last 200 closing prices. Long-term trend line — above/below = bull/bear regime.technical
MA5050-Day Moving AverageAverage of the last 50 closing prices. Medium-term trend line.technical
MACDMoving Average Convergence DivergenceDifference between two EMAs (typically 12 and 26), with a signal line (EMA 9). Trend + momentum.technical
Margin of SafetyMargin of SafetyGraham principle: purchase price significantly below intrinsic value as buffer.skill
MAUMonthly Active UsersMonthly active users.industry
MBUMobile Business UnitMicron segment for mobile DRAM (LPDDR) and mobile NAND.memory
MD&AManagement's Discussion & AnalysisNarrative section of 10-K/10-Q — management's explanation of results.format
Mkt CapMarket CapitalizationShare price × shares outstanding. Total equity value at market.valuation
MoatEconomic MoatBuffett term: durable competitive advantage (brand, cost, network, switching costs).skill
MobileyeMobileyeAutonomous-driving technology company; majority-owned by Intel (~85%) but publicly listed (ticker MBLY). Subject of Intel's strategic monetization in 2025.industry
MOVEMOVE IndexExpected volatility of US Treasuries — bond-market analog to VIX.macro
MROMaintenance, Repair, and OverhaulAftermarket services performed on commercial and defense aircraft, engines, and components. A key recurring-revenue stream for aerospace OEMs and independent shops.industry
MRRMonthly Recurring RevenueMonthly recurring revenue.industry

N

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
NANDNAND Flash MemoryNon-volatile memory (SSDs, smartphones).memory
NDNet DebtTotal debt minus cash and equivalents.leverage
ND/EBITDANet Debt / EBITDALeverage measured against operating cash flow. How many years of EBITDA to pay off debt?<1 very conservative · 1-3 normal · 3-5 high · >5 riskyleverage
NMNet MarginNet income / Revenue. End profitability after taxes and interest.<3% thin · 3-10% normal · 10-20% strong · >20% premiumprofitability
Non-GAAPNon-GAAP / Adjusted EarningsManagement-adjusted numbers (often excluding SBC, restructuring, M&A costs). Caution: often flattering.profitability
NOPATNet Operating Profit After TaxEBIT × (1 − tax rate). Operating profit after taxes but before financing.profitability
NRRNet Revenue RetentionRevenue change from existing customers (upsell − churn).<100% shrinking · 100-110% solid · >120% strongindustry

O

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
OCFOperating Cash FlowCash flow from ongoing business operations (before investments).profitability
OEOriginal EquipmentThe sale of new equipment (e.g., a new jet engine sold to an aircraft manufacturer). Contrasts with 'Services' or 'Aftermarket' revenue, which comes from parts, repairs, and maintenance on already-delivered equipment.industry
OEMOriginal Equipment ManufacturerManufacturer that integrates other firms' components into end products.industry
OHLCOpen, High, Low, CloseThe four core data points of a candle: open, high, low, close.technical
OMOperating MarginOperating income (EBIT) / Revenue. Profitability after operating costs.<5% weak · 5-15% solid · 15-25% strong · >25% premiumprofitability
OTMOut-of-the-MoneyOption without intrinsic value (opposite of ITM).technical

P

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
P/BPrice / Book RatioMarket cap divided by book value of equity. How is the valuation relative to balance-sheet substance?<1 below book · 1-2 cheap · 2-4 fair · 4-8 growth-oriented · >8 very expensivevaluation
P/EPrice / Earnings RatioShare price divided by earnings per share. How many years of earnings does the stock cost?<10 very cheap · 10-15 cheap · 15-25 fair · 25-40 expensive · >40 very expensive (context: growth, cyclicality)valuation
P/SPrice / Sales RatioMarket cap divided by revenue. Useful for non-profitable growth companies.<1 very cheap · 1-3 fair · 3-8 growth · >10 highly valuedvaluation
P/TBVPrice / Tangible Book ValueLike P/B, but after deducting goodwill and intangibles. Stricter asset measure.<1 below tangible book · 1-2 fair · >3 expensivevaluation
PCBPolychlorinated BiphenylsIndustrial chemical compounds; environmental cleanup liability common for legacy industrial sites (Hudson River cleanup is a notable GE example).format
PCEPersonal Consumption ExpendituresFed's preferred inflation measure (vs CPI).Fed target: 2% core PCEmacro
PEGPrice / Earnings to GrowthP/E divided by expected earnings growth rate. Lynch's favorite metric.<0.5 unusually cheap · 0.5-1 cheap · 1-2 fair · >2 expensivevaluation
Post-spinPost-spin-offThe period AFTER a corporate spin-off was completed - i.e., when the business unit operated as an independent public company. For GE Aerospace: 'post-spin' means from April 2, 2024 onward.industry
Pre-spinPre-spin-offThe period BEFORE a corporate spin-off was completed - i.e., when the business unit was still part of the parent company. For GE Aerospace: 'pre-spin' means before April 2, 2024, when GE Vernova was separated.industry
Production RampProduction RampRamp-up phase of a new product generation in manufacturing.memory

Q

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
QEQuantitative EasingCentral-bank bond purchases — expands money supply.macro
QLCQuad-Level Cell NANDNAND with 4 bits per cell — highest density, lower endurance. Enterprise-SSD standard.memory
QoQQuarter-over-QuarterComparison to the immediately preceding quarter.growth
QTQuantitative TighteningCentral-bank balance-sheet runoff — drains money supply.macro
Quick RatioQuick Ratio (Acid Test)(Current assets − inventory) / current liabilities. Stricter than current ratio.<0.5 tight · 0.5-1 ok · >1 solidliquidity

R

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
R&DResearch & DevelopmentResearch and development expense.profitability
RDVRemaining Deal ValuePalantir's preferred backlog metric. Total contracted value not yet recognized as revenue, including option-priced extensions. Roughly comparable to RPO (Remaining Performance Obligations) used by other SaaS issuers but includes optional-extension value.industry
ReflexivityReflexivity (Soros)Price and fundamentals influence each other — self-reinforcing feedback loops.skill
ROAReturn on AssetsNet income / total assets. Asset efficiency.<3% weak · 3-8% solid · >8% strongprofitability
ROEReturn on EquityNet income / equity. How efficiently does management deploy equity capital?<8% weak · 8-15% solid · 15-25% strong · >25% premium (watch for book-value gimmicks)profitability
ROICReturn on Invested CapitalNOPAT / invested capital (equity + interest-bearing debt). Buffett favorite for capital-allocation quality.<WACC value-destroying · WACC-15% solid · 15-25% strong · >25% wide moatprofitability
ROTCEReturn on Tangible Common EquityLike ROE but excluding goodwill/intangibles. Banking standard.<10% weak · 10-15% fair · 15-20% good · >20% top tierprofitability
RSIRelative Strength IndexMomentum oscillator 0-100. Measures speed and magnitude of recent price changes.<30 oversold · 30-50 weak · 50-70 strong · >70 overboughttechnical

S

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
S-1Registration Statement (Form S-1)IPO filing.format
SaaSSoftware as a ServiceSubscription-based cloud-hosted software.industry
SAMServiceable Addressable MarketActually addressable sub-market.industry
SBCStock-Based CompensationEquity compensation paid to employees. Dilutes shareholders — should be subtracted from FCF.<2% of revenue ok · 2-5% watch · >5% problematicprofitability
SBUStorage Business UnitMicron segment for SSDs and NAND components.memory
SECSecurities and Exchange CommissionUS securities regulator.format
SG&ASelling, General & Administrative ExpensesSales, admin, and overhead costs.profitability
SharpeSharpe RatioReturn over risk-free rate divided by volatility. Risk-adjusted return.<0.5 weak · 0.5-1 ok · 1-2 good · >2 excellent (rarely sustainable)technical
Shop VisitShop VisitScheduled or unscheduled removal of an aircraft engine from service for inspection, maintenance, or overhaul. The frequency and depth of shop visits drive aftermarket Services revenue.industry
Short InterestShort InterestShare of float sold short.<3% low · 3-10% normal · 10-20% elevated · >20% squeeze riskformat
SMASimple Moving AverageSimple moving average — unweighted mean.technical
SPACSpecial Purpose Acquisition CompanyBlank-check vehicle for going public.industry
Spin-offSpin-offA corporate action in which a parent company creates a new independent company by distributing shares of a business unit to its existing shareholders.industry
SVPSenior Vice PresidentSenior Vice President.industry

T

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
TAMTotal Addressable MarketMaximum theoretical market size.industry
TLCTriple-Level Cell NANDNAND with 3 bits per cell — standard for client SSDs.memory
TTMTrailing Twelve MonthsSum of the last 12 months (rolling, not fiscal year).growth

U

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
UNRATEUnemployment RateUnemployment rate (FRED code).<4% full employment · 4-5% normal · >6% recessionmacro
USTUS TreasuryUS government bond.macro

V

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
Variant PerceptionVariant PerceptionHoward Marks / Druckenmiller principle: where does your view measurably differ from consensus?skill
VernovaGE VernovaGE's energy business (power generation, electrification, renewables) - spun off from the GE conglomerate on April 2, 2024, leaving GE Aerospace as the standalone aerospace pure-play.industry
VIXCBOE Volatility IndexExpected 30-day vol of the S&P 500 (annualized). The 'fear index'.<12 calm · 12-20 normal · 20-30 nervous · >30 panicmacro
VWAPVolume-Weighted Average PriceVolume-weighted average price of the day.technical

W

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
WACCWeighted Average Cost of CapitalWeighted average cost of capital (equity + debt). Discount rate in a DCF.6-8% mega-caps · 8-10% mid-cap · 10-15% small/riskvaluation
WaferSilicon WaferSilicon disc (300mm standard) on which chips are manufactured.memory
Wafer YieldWafer YieldShare of functioning chips per wafer. Higher yield = lower cost per chip.memory

X

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
XBRLeXtensible Business Reporting LanguageMachine-readable format for SEC data. Backbone of many fundamental-data tools.format

Y

TermFullExplanationScale (good / bad)Cat.
YoYYear-over-YearComparison to the same period in the prior year (e.g., Q1-26 vs Q1-25).growth
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