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Stock Certificates (also referred to as "share certificates.")  (Mar 28, 2023)  Question? Email: info@hpalumni.org

Overview of stock certificates. An article on the "Investopedia" investor education and news website covers:
- What is a share certificate?
- Decoding the information on a share certificate.
- What are my old share certificates worth?
- What do I do if I lost my original share certificate?
- If stock certificates are transferred on death, what is the tax?
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/share-certificate.asp

From that article:

"Never just throw away your old share certificates. They can still be worth something. Here are a few steps you can do to help determine their value:

- Contact your Stock Brokerage to look up the share certificate's CUSIP number. [If there is no CUSIP number on the certificate.]

- Figure out whether the company is still publicly traded.  [The HPAA has that information here: HPAA Stock Decoder ]

- Call the share certificate's transfer agent (the agent should be listed on the certificate.)" 

HPAA advice:

Your HP, HPE, and spinoff stock is probably not all held in one place.

Alumni have reported two steps that should be followed when dealing with old stock certificates:

1. Contact the transfer agent.

Every company that issues stock has a Stock transfer agent that the company pays to keep track of all the shares. The point of contact is the transfer agent, not the company.

Dividend payments and stockholder communications are sent the address on file with the transfer agent. Your employer does not update that address for you. (More on transfer agents: Where's my stock? )

The transfer agent should be able to tell you what happened with that lot of stock. (If transfer agent is not named on the certificate or can't be reached, see HPAA Stock Decoder )

It is possible that the shares were cashed out by declaring to the transfer agent that the certificate was lost. In that case, this would have been done: "Purchase an indemnity bond to protect the company against the chance that the lost certificate may be presented at a later date." https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/share-certificate.asp

2. Check for unclaimed property.

The shares -- or an uncashed payment check for the shares -- may have been treated as unclaimed property.

"Unclaimed or 'abandoned' property refers to property or accounts within financial institutions or companies -- in which there has been no activity generated (or contact with the owner) regarding the property for one year or a longer period. After a designated period of time (called the dormancy period) with no activity or contact, the property becomes 'unclaimed' and -- by law -- must be turned over to the state."

It is tedious -- but straightforward -- to check for unclaimed property. Member advice: https://www.hpalumni.org/Unclaimed  (Checking for unclaimed property is a good idea for everyone to do as a general practice.)

A copy of the certificate should serve as proof of ownership.

Next step:  Stock Recovery and Cost Basis

("The engraving is not one of Dave and Bill setting out to conquer the world. New York Stock Exchange rules call for two human likenesses on every stock certificate. The idea is that such artwork is difficult to forge. The artwork was selected from designs approved by the NYSE." --Measure magazine, March/April 1983.)

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