What Does AON Mean In Stocks?

Investing in stocks and cryptocurrency is becoming more and more popular as people look for ways to supplement their income.

What Does AON Mean in Stocks

It sounds complex to beginner investors, but once you have the right knowledge and tools, anyone can start making waves in the stock market. 

The first step to navigating the stock market is to learn the common terminology. This article will teach you the definition of AON in stocks, how to understand these types of orders, and how to factor in the analysis techniques used with them.

What Is AON?

AON stands for All-Or-None. An AON is an order to buy or sell a stock in its entirety, or not executed at all. If these orders cannot be carried out immediately, they remain active until they are executed or canceled.

This means that filling the order partially won’t be accepted. If there are too few shares to fill the order, it is canceled. These orders often take longer to execute, especially for large orders.

What You Should Know About AON Orders

An AON order is considered a contingent order, as the trader gives instructions to the broker about how the order has to be filled. This affects how long the order remains active. 

AON orders that cannot be executed immediately at the time of submission remain active during trading hours until they are filled or canceled. This prevents the order from being partially filled and is useful when transacting with thinly traded securities.

Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks to these kinds of orders. One major issue is that, due to the specifications of an AON order, they can take much longer to execute than normal orders.

Larger AON orders are even more difficult to fill – these orders compose a bigger percentage of the shares traded daily.

What Is An Example Of An AON Order?

Let’s suppose that an investor places an AON order to purchase 200 shares of Microsoft (see also our article on MANTA stocks) common stock at $100 per share. This means that the order is not filled unless all 200 shares are purchased for $100.

The investor has specified both the number of shares and the price to fill the order. Considering the daily trading volume of Microsoft stock, this order would be easier to fill with just 200 shares.

The order would be completed if the shares trade at $100 during trading hours. However, if the investor places an order for 200,000 shares at $100, it would be much more difficult to execute, and would likely be canceled if it’s not carried out at the right time.

Technical Analysis Of AON Orders

Many portfolio managers use technical analysis to determine whether or not an AON order should be used.

This involves scrutinizing stock price patterns and trading volume to identify future trends, such as when stock price trades above or below the range of trading. This analysis can tell managers whether or not an AON order is beneficial to entering or exiting the market.

As an example of technical analysis for AON orders, let’s suppose that a stock trades between $20 and $25 per share for several weeks, but then rises to $27.

This trading pattern is known by technical analysts as a “breakout”, meaning the share price is continuing to climb.

A portfolio manager can then place an AON order, requiring the entire order to be bought at the $27 breakout price. This results in profit generation due to the upturn in price.

Fundamental Analysis Of AON Orders

Portfolio managers can also use fundamental analysis to decide if an AON order would be beneficial. This involves studying a company’s financial statements and financial ratios.

Managers compare the financial performance of a company to a similar business in the same industry to determine whether or not to buy or sell that company’s stock. 

An example of fundamental analysis to aid the decision to execute an AON order could be looking at price-to-earnings ratios.

For instance, assume that the price-to-earnings ratio for the technology sector is 30 times earnings and that Microsoft’s ratio is 20 times earnings. Microsoft’s lower price-to-earnings ratio means that the company is generating more earnings per share compared to the average technology company.

This means that the stock’s price is in more demand than other companies in the industry. Therefore, a manager can decide to use an AON order to buy 5,000 shares of Microsoft at say $100 since its price-to-earnings ratio has indicated a buy signal.

What Are The Benefits Of AON Orders?

AON orders can be useful to get the most out of the stock market and generate significant profit. Some of the benefits of these orders include:

  • Efficient and complete execution of large orders – no partial fills.
  • All contracts on the orders can be executed at a single price.
  • Allows participants to take maximum advantage of the market.
  • Facilitates the execution of sizable spread and combination trades.
  • Designed to meet institutional trading needs.

Conclusion

AON orders are beneficial for companies to take advantage of the stock market to maximize their profits. The key points to know about AON orders are:

  • They are orders that instruct brokers to fill the order completely or cancel it, as partial fills do not suffice.
  • They usually take longer to execute than other orders, especially on a large scale.
  • Technical and fundamental analysis is carried out to increase the success of an AON order.

Understanding this key piece of terminology when learning about the stock market will help you develop your knowledge and get you started in stock trading and investment.

Luke Baldwin