Equity holders typically face what type of risk and return?

Equity holders typically face a high level of risk along with the potential for high returns. This relationship between risk and return is fundamental in finance and investment. When investors purchase equity, they are essentially buying a stake in a company, which entails exposure to the company's performance and market conditions.

Equity investments can be volatile; prices can fluctuate significantly based on factors such as market demand, economic conditions, and company performance. This volatility means that there is a higher degree of uncertainty regarding the returns on equity investments when compared to safer, fixed-income options like bonds. However, this higher risk is justified by the potential for greater returns, such as capital gains and dividends, especially if the company performs well or grows over time.

In contrast, lower risk investments typically offer lower returns as a trade-off for that stability, and guaranteed returns with no risk are generally associated with government bonds or savings accounts rather than equity investments. Therefore, the characterization of equity holdings as high risk, high return aligns with the principles of risk-return tradeoff that govern investment decisions.