prospektus

Prospektus is a term found in financial and legal contexts referring to a formal disclosure document that accompanies the offer and sale of securities to the public or to qualified investors. In English, the standard term is prospectus; prospektus is a cognate form used in some languages and in historical or translated texts. The document is designed to provide potential investors with essential information to evaluate an offering and to disclose the issuer’s business, finances, and risk factors.

A typical prospekt or prospectus includes a description of the issuer, the terms of the offering, and the use of proceeds. It covers the business model, market position, financial statements, management and governance, ownership structure, and material contracts. Risk factors, legal and regulatory disclosures, and information about underwriting arrangements are also standard elements. For investment funds, the prospectus outlines investment objectives, strategies, risks, fees, performance, and policy details.

Regulatory role and enforceability vary by jurisdiction. Most regimes require disclosure through a filed prospectus as part of a public offering or admission to trading on a regulated market, with liabilities for misstatements or omissions. In the European Union, the Prospectus Regulation governs content and publication; in the United States, the Securities Act of 1933 requires a registration statement that includes a prospectus. While the English term has become standard, prospektus remains encountered in non-English texts and historical documents.