Glossary of Financial Terms

Management – People who administer a company, providing the support necessary to implement the owners' business objectives.

Marketing – Process of researching, promoting, selling and distributing of goods or services and includes advertising, public relations, promotion, pricing, sales and distribution.

Market research – A systematic, objective analysis of data about a target market, competition, and/or environment.

Maturity – A loan's maturity is the life of the loan; that is, how long you have to repay the loan. It usually applies to term loans and not lines of credit.

Merchandise – Movable goods such as cars, appliances or textiles.

Merchant bank – British term for a bank that specializes in providing various financial services such as accepting bills arising out of trade, underwriting new issues, and providing advice on acquisitions, mergers, portfolio management and foreign exchange.

Merger – Also known as an M&A, or merger and acquisition. An acquisition in which all assets and liabilities are absorbed by the buyer. More generally, any combination of two companies.

Multilevel Marketing – Selling products by using independent distributors who build and manage their own sales force by recruiting, motivating, supplying, and training others to sell products. Compensation includes a percentage of the sales of their down line sales group.

Multi-Lender Environment – Numerous lending institution sharing the same site and information to provide instant financing to small businesses.