is an adr the same as an american depositary share ads 
american depositary shares adss are the actual underlying shares that the adr represents in other words the ads is the actual share available for trading while the adr represents the entire bundle of adss issued the bottom lineamerican depositary receipts or adrs allow americans to invest in foreign companies although these companies do not ordinarily trade on the u s stock market an adr enables investors to buy these stocks as easily as they would invest in any domestic stock the arrangement also benefits foreign firms allowing them to raise capital from the u s market 