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Plain-language explainers on dividends, the P/E ratio, market cap, ETFs, index funds, REITs and growth vs value stocks, each linked to the tools that use them.

What Is a Dividend?What a dividend is, how dividend yield is worked out, what a good dividend yield is, and why a very high yield can be a warning sign.
What Is the P/E Ratio?The price-to-earnings ratio explained: how to calculate P/E, trailing vs forward P/E, the S&P 500’s P/E today, and what counts as a good P/E.
What Is Market Cap?Market capitalization explained: how it is calculated, what large-cap, mid-cap and small-cap mean, and why it matters for investors.
What Is an ETF?What an exchange-traded fund (ETF) is, how ETFs work, what they cost, and how to tell them apart: holdings, expense ratio, size and tracking.
What Is an Index Fund?What an index fund is, how it tracks an index like the S&P 500, why its fees are low, and how index ETFs and index mutual funds differ.
ETF vs Mutual FundETFs vs mutual funds: how they trade, what they cost, taxes, minimum investments, and which suits which investor.
ETF vs Index FundETFs vs index funds: an index fund is a strategy and an ETF is a wrapper, so many ETFs are index funds. How to choose between them.
ETF vs StockBuying an ETF vs individual stocks: diversification, risk, costs and effort, and how many investors combine the two.
Stocks vs BondsThe difference between stocks and bonds: ownership vs lending, risk and return, how they behave together, and how interest rates affect bonds.
What Is a REIT?What a real estate investment trust (REIT) is, how REITs pay high dividends, the main types, and the risks, including interest rates.
Growth vs Value StocksWhat growth stocks and value stocks are, how to spot each, how they have performed, and why most investors own both.