Option Symbols  Close Window

Stock and Index Options require a special code for identification. Each Company that has options on their stock has up to a three letter root symbol for the options. If the stock symbol is three letters or less, the stock symbol becomes the root. The three letter root is followed by a single option month letter followed by a strike price letter. Option roots for most optionable stocks can be found at the CBOE web site.

 

For example: Marvel Technology's stock symbol is MRVL and the option root for MRVL is UMV (Don't ask why. The exchanges pick a three letter root for NASDAQ stocks with four letters). The call option  symbol for Matvel stock expiring in March and having a strike price of $25.00 is UMVCE. Some times a space is inserted between the root and the expiration and strike letters  (UMV CE)

 

Options Months Codes

Call

Month

Put

A

Jan

M

B

Feb

N

C

Mar

O

D

Apr

P

E

May

Q

F

Jun

R

G

Jul

S

H

Aug

T

I

Sep

U

J

Oct

V

K

Nov

W

L

Dec

X

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Options Strike Price Codes

Standard Strike Price Codes

A

5

105

205

305

405

B

10

110

210

310

410

C

15

115

215

315

415

D

20

120

220

320

420

E

25

125

225

325

425

F

30

130

230

330

430

G

35

135

235

335

435

H

40

140

240

340

440

I

45

145

245

345

445

J

50

150

250

350

450

K

55

155

255

355

455

L

60

160

260

360

460

M

65

165

265

365

465

N

70

170

270

370

470

O

75

175

275

375

475

P

80

180

280

380

480

Q

85

185

285

385

485

R

90

190

290

390

490

S

95

195

295

395

495

T

100

200

300

400

500

Non-Standard Strike Price Codes

U

7.5

37.5

67.5

 

V

12.5

42.5

72.5

W

17.5

47.5

77.5

X

22.5

52.5

82.5

Y

27.5

57.5

87.5

Z

32.5

62.5

92