For the remaining 30 percent, they can choose cash or convertible preference stock.

Utilicorp United, one million shares of $25 preference stock.

Valero Energy, four million shares of $25 convertible serial preference stock.

Weyerhaeuser Co., four million shares of $50 convertible exchangeable preference stock.

To compensate for its financial losses, G.M. raised funds by issuing $3.4 billion worth of preference stock in late 1991 and early this year.

Also, convertible preference stock worth an estimated $1,500 will be credited to each worker in an employee stock ownership trust.

Travelers Corp., Hartford, 10 million shares of series B $25 cumulative preference stock.

The Baa-2 preferred stock rating and Baa-3 preference stock rating are also endangered.

Some careful investors have long favored convertible preference stock, a security that can be cashed at face value or converted into a company's common stock.

Year-ago 6 months' income from continuing operations included a charge of $118,000 for the accretion of dividends on preference stock.

The $30.50-a-share offer will be financed through the Bank of Ireland's existing surplus capital, borrowings, a rights issue and a preference stock issue.

General Motors registered with the S.E.C. to raise up to $1 billion from a new issue of preference stock.

Royal Bank of Scotland, $250 million of noncumulative American depository preference stock.

Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold, 6 million shares of $25 convertible exchangeable special preference stock.

Sun Co., Philadelphia, 11.7 million of depositary shares (each represents half a share of series A cumulative preference stock).

National Westminster Bank, eight million shares of $25 noncumulative preference stock, Aa-3/AA-.

Preference stock, which pays a fixed dividend, outranks common stock but is behind preferred stock in the order of dividend payments.

By last year, its condition improved and it paid off $127 million of the $252 million it owed on back dividends on preferred and preference stock.

The General Motors Corporation filed a shelf registration on Friday for up to $750 million in preference stock, according to an announcement by the auto maker yesterday.

Preference stock now bears an A- rating instead of an A. About $825 million of securities are affected, along with a registration to issue $400 million of debt.

By selling preference stock, which is accounted for as equity, G.M. avoids borrowing, which would weaken its balance sheet and threaten its already shaky credit rating.

Westpac Banking Corp., Australia, eight million American depository shares (representing $25 preference stock), NR/A-1/A+.

General Motors Corp., 12 million depository shares, representing series C $50 preference stock, which is convertible into General Motors class E stock.

The General Motors Corporation said yesterday that it had filed for $750 million of a new class C preference stock to be sold here and abroad to help strengthen its balance sheet.

Champion said Berkshire Hathaway had purchased a new series of 9.25 percent convertible preference stock, each share of which is convertible into about 26.3 shares of Champion common stock.