Business and Personal Finance Dictionary

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• SHARE CLASS
  
  Some stocks and certain mutual funds subdivide their shares into classes or groups to designate their special characteristics. For example, the differences between Class A shares and Class B shares of stock may focus on voting rights, resale rights, or other provisions that limit the power of certain shareholders. In some overseas countries, Class A shares can be purchased by citizens only, while Class B shares can be purchased by noncitizens only. In the case of mutual funds, class designations indicate the way that sales charges, or loads, are levied. Class A shares have front-end loads, Class B shares have back-end loads, also called contingent deferred sales charges, and Class C shares have level loads.
  
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