Ticker Symbol
The unique letter code that identifies a publicly traded security on an exchange — AAPL for Apple, TSLA for Tesla.
A ticker symbol is the unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to a listed security. US exchange-listed stocks use 1–4 letters (NYSE) or 4–5 letters (Nasdaq). ETFs, mutual funds, and other instruments have their own ticker formats.
A period in the ticker indicates a special share class: BRK.A and BRK.B are Berkshire Hathaway's two common stock classes. When a company moves exchanges or undergoes restructuring, its ticker can change.
Tickers are universal shorthand in financial media and trading platforms — memorizing the tickers of your core watchlist saves time and reduces ambiguity when entering orders.
Related Terms
Exchange
An organized marketplace where buyers and sellers trade securities. NYSE and NASDAQ are the two largest US stock exchanges.
BeginnerIPO
The first time a private company sells shares to the public on a stock exchange, raising capital and creating a tradable market for the stock.
IntermediateNasdaq Composite
A market-cap-weighted index of all ~3,000+ companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange, with heavy weighting toward technology.
BeginnerNYSE
The world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization, located at 11 Wall Street in New York City.
BeginnerSector
A broad grouping of companies with similar business activities. The S&P 500 uses 11 GICS sectors such as Technology, Financials, and Energy.
Beginner