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Qualified Opinion

An auditor's opinion expressing qualifications in an audit.

Qualified Plan

A tax-deferred retirement plan that allows employers and employees to make pre-tax contributions, earnings accrue tax-free, and distributions from the plan, except rollovers to IRAs, are taxable.

Qualified Tuition Program (529 PLAN)

A section of the tax code that allows individuals to make tax-deductible contributions to accounts that accumulate assets tax-free as long as distributions are used to cover a beneficiary's qualified educational expenses.

Qualitative Analysis

An analytic investment process that evaluates non-statistical data. For example, management experience, ethical standards, employee morale, labor relations and other factors that impact company performance.

Quality of Earnings

Sources of company earnings that are received from sales and cost controls versus the sale of assets or inventory appreciation.

Quality Spread

The comparison of Treasury and non-Treasury securities when coupon and maturity are the same and the only difference is the quality rating.

Quant

A description of a person whose main skills are the technical analysis of financial and business data. Most "quants" are analysts.

Quantitative Analysis

An analytic investment process that evaluates statistical data. For example, revenues, earnings, ratios, and other economic and financial data that impact company performance and the prices of securities.

Quick Assets

Current assets minus inventories.

Quick Ratio

Cash, securities, and receivables divided by current liabilities.

Quid Pro Quo

To obtain something for something. A person provides a service and receives a service or money in return.

Quiet Period

The time period in which an issuer of a security is in the registration period with the SEC and cannot promote the security to investors.