Can Stocks Go Negative? (Explained)

What does it mean when your portfolio is negative? Can stocks go negative? These are questions that many people ask when they are looking at their portfolios. 

In this article, we will explore if a stock can go negative and what you can do to prevent it from happening. We will also look at some of the reasons why stocks might become negative and what you can do to protect yourself financially. 

Can stocks go negative? 

The answer is no. You may lose 100% of your investment in a stock, but the stock cannot go below zero. However, there are some ways that a stock can go negative. When a stock goes down in value, it is said to be "in the red." 

If it falls below its previous closing price, it is called "negative." These situations are not less than zero, but they can be described as "negative returns". 

A drop in price doesn't necessarily mean that the company is doing poorly. It could be due to a variety of factors, such as a change in the overall market, bad news about the company, or even rumors. However, if the stock price continues to fall and is worth $0, it is said to be "worthless." 

What happens if my stocks go negative? 

If you are holding a stock that goes close to negative, you might want to consider selling it. If you don't sell, then you are essentially stuck with a worthless piece of paper. Of course, you might not want to sell if you think the stock price will rebound. 

If you have faith in the company, then you might want to hold on and ride out the storm. However, if the company goes bankrupt, then your stock will be worthless. If you have a margin account, then you might be forced to sell your stock if it goes below a certain value. 

This is because your broker will want to limit their losses. If the stock price falls too low, then they will require you to put up more money or sell the stock. 

Do you owe money if your stock goes negative? 

This depends if you are trading with a margin. If you are, then you might owe money to your broker. In this scenario, you may find yourself having to deal with debt collectors. That's why it's important to read the terms and conditions of your broker before you start trading. 

However, if you are not trading with margin, then you will not owe anything to your broker. You will still lose money on your investment and money on commission fees but not on the underlying asset. 

Can you have negative money in stocks? 

It depends. If you are investing in stocks through a broker, you may owe money if the value of your stocks falls below the margin. Margin is the amount of money that you borrowed from your broker to buy the stocks. 

In this scenario, yes you can have a negative balance in your portfolio. However, if you are not investing with margin, then you will not have negative money. You will only lose the value of your investment and the commission fees. 

To prevent this from happening, it is important to diversify your portfolio and not put all your eggs in one basket. This means that you should invest in different types of stocks, bonds, and other investments. 

This way, if one investment goes down, you will still have others that are doing well. 

What happens if your stock goes negative 

When a stock goes negative, it means that the value of the stock has dropped below $0. This can not happen for a variety of reasons because the stock market does not allow for it. 

For example, if a company goes bankrupt, the value of its stocks will go to $0. However, the company's debt will still need to be paid. You are not responsible for the company's debt, but you will lose your investment. If you own stock when it goes to 0, there is not much that you can do. You will just have to accept the loss and move on. 

However, if you are thinking about investing in a stock, it is important to research the company thoroughly before investing. This way, you can try to avoid buying stocks that are likely to go negative. This also usually only occurs when trading with margin. 

Can penny stocks go negative? 

No, penny stocks are still stocks and they cannot go below zero. However, penny stocks are more volatile than other stocks and they can lose a lot of value very quickly. 

For this reason, there are some things you should keep in mind before investing in penny stocks Penny stocks are stocks that trade for less than $5 per share. They are usually issued by small, unknown companies. 

While penny stocks might seem like a good investment because they are so cheap, they are actually very risky. This is because it is easier for the company to go bankrupt and for the stock price to drop to zero. 

If you are thinking about investing in penny stocks, you should be aware of the risks involved. You could lose all of your investment if the company goes bankrupt or if the stock price falls to zero. 

Can your portfolio go negative? 

Yes, if you are using margin, your portfolio can go negative if the value of your assets declines. This happens when the value of your securities falls below the loan amount you used to purchase them. 

If this happens, you will get a margin call and will be required to deposit more money or sell some of your securities to bring your account back up to a positive balance. For example, let's say you purchase $20,000 worth of stock on margin. 

In this scenario, you are borrowing $15,000 from your broker and only investing $5000 of your own money. If the value of the stock falls to $14,000 your account will be "underwater" by $1000. You will need to either deposit more money or sell some of your securities to bring the account back up to a positive balance. 

If you do not take action to bring your account back up to a positive balance, your broker may sell some of your securities to cover the loan. This is known as a "margin call." While your portfolio can go negative, it is important to remember that this is usually only temporary. 

If you have savings that you can use to cover any short-term losses, you should not be too worried about your portfolio going negative. However, there is always the risk that the stock will decline further in value and you will be unable to cover the losses. In this case, you could lose all of your investment. 

What does it mean when a stock is negative? 

It means that the value of the stock has dropped below $0, although this is impossible in stocks. It also means that the company is in serious trouble and might not be able to rebound. If your stock is negative, it also indicates that you have lost money on your investment. When a stock becomes negative, it is said to have "crashed." 

This happens when the company's stock value plummets and it can no longer support itself. A stock crash is usually caused by bad news about the company, such as a scandal or bankruptcy. 

Using leverage while all this is happening is also required for the stock to go negative. This is because if the stock price falls by more than 50%, your broker may require you to deposit more money or sell some of your securities. 

Can stocks go negative on Robinhood? 

Yes, this is because Robinhood allows for margin trading. As mentioned before, margin trading is when you purchase securities with money that you have borrowed from your broker. If the value of the security falls below the loan amount, your account will go negative. 

While stocks can go negative on Robinhood, it is important to remember that this is only if you are using leverage. The benefit of Robinhood is that it allows anyone to start trading. The problem with Robinhood is that it allows anyone to start trading using leverage. 

This can encourage beginner traders to take on excessive risks. If you do not want to see your Robinhood account go negative, it is best to avoid using leverage. You can do this by only buying securities with money that you have already saved. By doing this, you will not be putting your account at risk of going negative. 

What type of investors should be careful

Traders using margin accounts should be most worried about not negative stocks but their portfolios going negative. If you're an investor who does not use margin, stocks cannot go negative but your portfolio might. 

However, it's still important to monitor the stocks in your portfolio and understand why you owe money to your broker. 

For the risk-averse value investor, they should not have much to worry about. If you are not using leverage, investing for the long term, and have researched the company thoroughly, you will never see a negative stock. Make sure to read other articles on this website to prevent yourself from being in a position where the stock is negative.