Equity investments

An equity represents a share in the ownership of a company. The shareholders of a company are its owners and, as such, participate in the company's fortunes - they carry the full risks and rewards of ownership. If the company does badly, a shareholder may lose money.

However, if the company prospers, the share value increases. This has a positive impact on the price at which its shares can be traded. Shares do not normally have a fixed return. Instead, the returns they produce reflect the profits the company makes. Some or all of these profits may be distributed to shareholders in the form of a dividend.

Whilst equities may have historically produced higher returns and greater protection from inflation than both cash and bonds over the long term there is no guarantee that this will be the case in the future.

• Important Information

  Typically, most investments unless otherwise specified, are intended to be held for the medium to long term (5 years and longer) and you should be aware that the value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise. Returns are not guaranteed and you may not get back what you originally invested. Not all types of investments are appropriate for everyone and we recommend that you always seek guidance from your own tax adviser about the tax implications that could arise based on your personal circumstances.

With Barclays Financial Planning you get:

• Access to investments sourced by our dedicated in house research team who select according to our strict assessment criteria.
• A panel of investments that is regularly reviewed and updated.
• Each product assessed against, provider strength, value for money and benefits.