How to Sell Shares of Corporate Stock
- 1). Determine the number of shares that you wish to sell. If you are selling just enough shares to pay for a specific expense, just divide the dollar amount of the expense by the current share price. Don't forget to make an allowance for the commission if necessary.
- 2). Wait until the right time to sell your stock. If the market opens strong in the morning, your stock may rise with it and get you a slightly better price. But if the market is moving against you, then place your trade immediately.
- 3). Call your broker or log on to your Internet account. Specify the number of shares that you wish to sell and the price at which you wish to sell them. Also add any special notation, such as "Fill or Kill" (fill the order in its entirety immediately or cancel the order) or "All or None" (only place the trade if you can sell all of the shares at once).
- 4). Wait for the order to execute and make sure your order is filled within a reasonable period of time. If you placed a market order, it should be filled very quickly unless the trading volume for the stock is very high.
- 5). Wait for the trade to settle before withdrawing the proceeds. Call your broker or contact your online broker's customer service department if your trade was executed at a price substantially away from the current market price at the time of the trade. If you held the stock in certificate form, deposit it in your account by the settlement date.
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