Who assigns the ticker symbols on the NYSE and NASDAQ?
As implied in a recent news article about Google’s upcoming IPO, companies are allowed to choose their own ticker symbol. Of course, the requested symbol must be available and follow market conventions. A NASDAQ FAQ outlines how a company obtains a ticker symbol. A symbol can be reserved up to six months in advance of submitting an official application for a listing on the exchange. The company must submit their requested symbol along with two alternatives, listed in order of preference. Once approved, the symbol reservation is good for six months. At the NYSE web site, we looked up “ticker symbol” in the glossary and learned a bit more. A company’s ticker symbol can be three or four letters and is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. To avoid confusion, a symbol u
