Trading Stocks
Investment Choices Overview > Stocks

Put your stock trading and investing ideas into action

If you're looking for new investment opportunities and are willing to accept greater risk in exchange for the potential of greater returns, then investing and trading in stocks, also called equities, may be right for you.
May be a good move for...
  • Building a balanced portfolio
  • Investing across sectors, geographies and industries
  • Generating income through dividend stocks
  • Preserving liquidity
  • New and experienced investors
Tab One

Streamline your investing

Identify new investment opportunities with access to free investor education, powerful screening tools, independent research and our BofA US 1 List—a list of buy-rated stocks recommended by analysts at BofA Global Research, named one of the top global research firms by Institutional Investor in 2019.Footnote 3
 
Why Merrill®?
 
$0
Free unlimited online stock trades with no trade or balance minimumsFootnote 2
Other fees may applyFootnote 1
 
Are you an active investor?
Get more insights, more capabilities and more control with Merrill Edge MarketPro®.Footnote 4
Learn about Merrill Edge MarketPro®
Tab Two

Find the investments that may be right for you

Stocks can play an important role in building a balanced portfolio, providing investors with greater liquidity than mutual funds. With thousands of stocks to choose from, Merrill offers investors the tools, research and guidance to help you find the investment that may be right for your portfolio.
 

Search for stocks your way

Take advantage of powerful screening tools and search for dividend growth & high yield, EPS & revenue growth, and large caps with low P/E ratios. Or choose your own search criteria for stocks popup.
 

Simplify your search for the right stock

Discover new investment opportunities with our BofA US 1 List—buy-rated stocks recommended by analysts at BofA Global Research.
 

Make more informed investment decisions

View equity profiles and advanced charting at-a-glance and access independent ratings and research reports from Morningstar, CFRA (powered by data from S&P Global) and BofA Global Research.
 

Keep up with the latest news and market events

Stay informed with up-to-the-minute news from Dow Jones, FactSet financial data and analytics, PR Newswire and Business Wire. Plus, get customized alerts based on price, volume, ratings, news and more.
 

Go beyond the headlines to identify new opportunities

Identify timely opportunities with help from Technical Insight™ by Recognia. Learn how market trends and a company's products drive stock prices with fundamental analysis from Trefis®.
 

Invest and trade with confidence

Benefit from Merrill's commitment to execution quality and their smart order routing. Plus, take advantage of investing opportunities whenever they happen during extended-hours trading as well as pre- and post-market sessions.
 

Become a smarter investor

 
Are you an active investor?
Get more insights, more capabilities and more control with Merrill Edge MarketPro®.Footnote4
Learn about Merrill Edge MarketPro®
Tab Three

Getting started is as easy as 1-2-3

1
Open your account

Apply online and open your account in minutes. Here's what you'll need to apply for an account popup.

If you need help, give us a call at 1.888.637.3343—24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 
2
Fund your account

Fund your account instantly in real time from your eligible linked Bank of America bank account, and also by linking to an account at another financial institution. Or, transfer funds to your account by check, by wire transfer or by transferring or rolling over an existing account.5
Learn how to fund your account popup.

 
3
Start investing
  • Create an investment approach—build a balanced portfolio aligned to your investment goals in 3 easy steps. Learn more about building an investment portfolio.
  • Start your search for the investments that may be right for you with our powerful screeners and independent research. Simplify your search using streamlined lists of stocks, ETFs and mutual funds evaluated by Merrill research and analytic teams.Footnote 6
  • Manage your portfolio with anytime, anywhere access to your Merrill investment account—online, on your mobile device and at thousands of Bank of America ATMs
 
Invest with advice when you need it
Invest with a licensed Merrill Financial Advisor, who can help you pursue your financial goals and plan for what matters most to you.
Tab Four

Simple flat-rate pricing

Pay one flat rate for stock trades with an online investing and trading account—regardless of your account balance or how often you trade.

Free unlimited online stock trades with no trade or balance minimums.Footnote 2

Other fees may apply.Footnote1
$0
View all pricing
Are you an active investor?
Get more insights, more capabilities and more control with Merrill Edge MarketPro®.Footnote 4
Learn about Merrill Edge MarketPro®
Ready to get started?
Open an account
888.637.3343
Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Find a local Merrill
Financial Solutions Advisor™
600 dollar IRA offer
Get up to $600 when you invest in a new Merrill Edge® Self‑Directed account.
How to qualify for our 600 dollar offer
More investment choices
ETFs
Mutual Funds
Fixed Income
Options
Margin
Managed Portfolios
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Other fees may apply. Free and $0 means there is no commission charged for these trades. $0 option trades are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee. Sales are subject to a transaction fee of between $0.01 and $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. There are costs associated with owning ETFs. To learn more about Merrill pricing, visit our Pricing page.
Merrill waives its commissions for all online stock, ETF and option trades placed in a Merrill Edge® Self-Directed brokerage account. Brokerage fees associated with, but not limited to, margin transactions, special stock registration/gifting, account transfer and processing and termination apply. $0 option trades are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee. Other fees and restrictions may apply. Pricing is subject to change without advance notice.
Institutional Investor magazine announced BofA Global Research as the Top Global Research Firm in 2019 based on surveys held throughout the year. The magazine creates rankings of the top research analysts in a wide variety of specializations, drawn from the choices of portfolio managers and other investment professionals at more than 1,000 firms. BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc ("BofAS") and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC popup, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. For more information about this award, go to Institutional Investor popup. Rankings and recognition from Institutional Investor are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement.
Merrill Edge MarketPro® is available to clients who maintain a Merrill Edge® Self-Directed relationship. Not available to investment professionals or for trust accounts and business accounts. Relationship requirements and pricing are subject to change. To learn more, go to Merrill Edge MarketPro®.
Footnote 5 You have choices about what to do with your employer-sponsored retirement plan accounts. Depending on your financial circumstances, needs and goals, you may choose to roll over to an IRA or convert to a Roth IRA, roll over an employer-sponsored plan from your old job to your new employer, take a distribution, or leave the account where it is. Each choice may offer different investment options and services, fees and expenses, withdrawal options, required minimum distributions, tax treatment, and different types of protection from creditors and legal judgments. These are complex choices and should be considered with care. Visit our Rollover IRA page or call a Merrill Edge® rollover specialist at 888.637.3343 for more information about your choices.

Footnote 6 Research provided by BofA Global Research.

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