Nasdaq stocks have four-letter ticker symbols. If there's a fifth letter, it's there to signify something. Here are the extra letters you're most likely to see:
- F designates a foreign company.
- Y is for foreign stocks trading as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
- E is for companies delinquent in filing reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
- A and B refer to class A or B of the company's stock.
- Q indicates that the firm is in bankruptcy proceedings.
If you're interested in investing in a company with a fifth letter, find out what it means before taking any action.
You can learn more about how the financial world works in our Investing Basics area and in our Fool's School. If you're interested in receiving a handful of promising stock ideas each month, consider subscribing to one of our investing newsletters.
This question and answer is adapted from The Motley Fool Money Guide: Answers to Your Questions About Saving, Spending, and Investing . For answers to this and 499 other common money questions, check it out -- it's a handy resource.
