A direct purchase plan (DPP) is a convenient way for investors to buy stock directly from a company without going through a broker.

Many companies offer DPPs either directly through the company or from a financial institution. To learn more about DPPs and where to find enrollment information, take a spin on one of the following sites on the World Wide Web.

• Bankrate.com

It provides a good overview about how a direct purchase plan works.

• EquiServe

Users can select “Shareholder Services” to explore DPPs listed under “Buy Stock Direct.”

• Mellon

Users can elect “Stock Purchase Plans” to search sponsored DPPs by company name, ticket symbol, industry or A-to-Z list.

• NetStockDirect

It’s the leading Web resource for DPP information and plans.