A

Fifth letter of a Nasdaq stock symbol specifying Class A shares.

A

1. A symbol appearing next to a stock listed on NASDAQ indicating that the stock is a class A share. All NASDAQ listings use a four-letter abbreviation; if an "A" follows the abbreviation, this indicates that the security being traded is class A. Publicly-traded companies sometimes issue common shares of different classes, which usually affects the shares' voting rights. Class A shares usually, but not always, carry more voting rights than class B shares.

2. Indicating a class of mutual fund with a front-end load. In this case, a certain amount of one's investment is deducted for the mutual fund's salesperson's commission. This lowers the size of the investment in the mutual fund. For example, if one invests $50,000 in a mutual fund, a certain amount, say $1,000, is deducted for the commission, resulting in an investment of only $49,000 in the fund.

A

An upper-medium grade assigned to a debt obligation by a rating agency to indicate a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal. This capacity is susceptible to impairment in the event of adverse developments.

a

1. Used in the dividend column of stock transaction tables in newspapers to indicate a cash payment in addition to regular dividends during the year: 2.75a.

2. Used in money market mutual fund transaction tables in newspapers to indicate a yield that may include capital gains and losses as well as current interest: AmCap Reserv a.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott. Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.