Every stock has a stock name. The stock name is just long enough to indicate all of the stock’s characteristics. For example, Microsoft’s stock is called Microsoft Present Value $0.025 common stock.

The “$” symbol may be confusing because it has no relationship to the value of the stock. Although the $ symbol in the present value is a convention, it is merely part of the official name of the stock, and is used solely for accounting reasons.

What is Stock Symbol

When a stock is listed on a stock exchange, it is assigned a unique stock symbol in order to both assist traders in recognizing that specific stock, and to simplify the orders given to brokers. Instead of using the full name of the company, an investor can use its symbol.

For example, instead of “America Online”, an investor can use its symbol, “AOL”. This symbol is also called a “ticker symbol”. Ticker symbols for companies listed for trading on the NYSE or AMEX have 1-3 letters, while ticker symbols for companies listed for trading on the NASDAQ have 1-5 letters.

Ticker Symbol – What is it?

Every stock traded in the US is assigned a ticker symbol. The ticker is made up of a few letters that represent the company that issued the stock.

The ticker is used any time an investor wants to refer to a specific share, whether if he wants to give a buy or sell order, or if he wants to look up the stock’s price.

In the following table there are a few examples of ticker symbols.

Ticker symbols made up of only one letter are the most desirable. In the following table there are a few examples of those:

A stock’s ticker symbol can be found on the Internet, or in annual guides that are published which list the tickers of every company traded in America.