What is a Ticker Symbol?
A ticker symbol is a unique identifier assigned to each publicly traded company. It provides a quick way to look up stock prices and trade shares.
Exchange Differences
- NYSE - Traditionally 1-3 letter symbols (KO, T, F)
- NASDAQ - Typically 4-5 letter symbols (AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL)
Special Symbol Suffixes
Some tickers have additional letters that indicate special information:
- .A or .B - Different share classes (BRK.A vs BRK.B)
- Q - Company in bankruptcy proceedings
- K - No voting rights
- W - Warrants
Finding Ticker Symbols
Most brokerages have search functions. You can also search by company name on financial websites like Yahoo Finance or Google Finance.
Ticker Changes
Companies may change their ticker symbol after mergers, rebranding, or when switching exchanges. Old tickers typically redirect to the new one temporarily.