Financial Abbreviations: General, Banking and Stocks

Updated March 31, 2022
Calculator, dollar, dollar bills, pens, business charts as financial concept
  • DESCRIPTION
    Calculator, dollar, dollar bills, pens, business charts as financial concept
  • SOURCE
    hqrloveq / iStock / Getty Images Plus
  • PERMISSION
    Used under Getty Images license

The world of finance is confusing enough without all the need-to-know acronyms and abbreviations. But once you know the language of finance, you’ll find it’s much easier to navigate your own economic situation. The following list of financial abbreviations includes abbreviations for business, banks, finance, and the stock market.

Banking Acronyms and Financial Abbreviations

There are some abbreviations and acronyms that refer to financial matters in general. Others are used more by businesses and accountants. General financial abbreviations and acronyms include:

  • ACH - Automated Clearing House

  • AIR - Assumed Interest Rate

  • APR - Annual Percentage Rate

  • APT - Asset Protection Trust

  • APY - Annual Percentage Yield

  • ARM - Adjustable Rate Mortgage

  • ATM - Automated Teller Machine

  • ATR - Ability to Repay

  • CD - Certificate of Deposit

  • DDA - Demand Deposit Account

  • DTI - Debt-to-Income

  • EFT - Electronic Funds Transfer

  • ETF - Exchange Traded Funds

  • FDIC - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

  • FED - Federal Reserve Bank

  • FOREX - Foreign Exchange

  • FRB - Federal Reserve Board

  • HELOC - Home Equity Line of Credit

  • HPML - High Priced Mortgage Loan

  • IRA - Individual Retirement Account

  • LOI - Letter Of Intent

  • PIN - Personal Identification Number

  • MBS - Mortgage-Backed Securities

  • NSF - Non-Sufficient Funds

Accounting and Business Finance Abbreviations

Businesses often refer to a different set of abbreviations that are specific to day-to-day operations and company holdings. These accounting departments frequently use:

  • AFS - Annual Financial Statement

  • BCP - Business Continuity Plan

  • CAPEX - Capital Expenditures

  • CF - Company Finance

  • COB - Close of Business

  • CRR - Cash Reserve Ratio

  • EPS - Earnings Per Share

  • FIFO - First In, First Out

  • LIFO - Last In, First Out

  • LLC - Limited Liability Company

  • MTD - Month-to-Date

  • NAV - Net Asset Value

  • NCND - Non-Circumvention and Non-Disclosure

  • NDA - Non-Disclosure Agreement

  • NOL - Net Operating Loss

  • NPO - Non-Profit Organization

  • P&L - Profit and Loss

  • P/E - Price-to-Earnings ratio

  • PSP - Profit Sharing Plan

  • QTD - Quarter-to-Date

  • ROA - Return on Assets

  • ROCE - Return On Capital Employed

  • RONA - Return on Net Assets

  • ROS - Return on Sales

  • WC - Working capital

  • YTD - Year-to-date

Advertisement

Personal Finance and Tax Abbreviations

If you’re confused by your tax statement or pay stub, these tricky personal finance abbreviations may appear there:

  • AGI - Adjusted Gross Income

  • AMT - Alternate Minimum Tax

  • BTA - Board of Tax Appeals

  • CIT - Corporate Income Tax

  • CGT - Capital Gains Tax

  • CTC - Child Tax Credit

  • EIN - Employee Identification Number

  • EIC - Earned Income Credit

  • EITC - Earned Income Tax Credit

  • FICA - Federal Insurance Contributions Act

  • HSA - Health Savings Account

  • IRA - Individual Retirement Account

  • ITC - Investment Tax Credit

  • IRS - Internal Revenue System

  • MAGI - Modified Adjusted Gross Income

  • NWT - Net Wealth Tax

  • PIT - Personal Income Tax

  • VAT - Value Added Tax

  • WHT - Withholding Tax

Investment and Stocks Abbreviations

Whether you’re investing in your retirement account or trading in the stock market, it’s important to know what you’re talking about. Common financial abbreviations in investment or trading contexts include:

  • ADTV - Average Daily Trading Volume

  • AMEX - American Stock Exchange

  • CAGR - Compound annual growth rate

  • CB - Current Bid

  • CMP - Current Market Price

  • DJIA - Dow Jones Industrial Average

  • IPO - Initial Public Offering

  • MMKT - Money Market

  • NASDAQ - National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation

  • NYSE - New York Stock Exchange

  • PFD - Preferred stock

  • REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust

  • ROE - Return on Equity

  • ROI - Return on Investment

  • ROIC - Return on Invested Capital

  • QTE - Quote

  • SEC - Securities Exchange Commission

  • SIV - Structured Investment Vehicle

  • TSA - Tax-Sheltered Annuity

  • TSR - Total Shareholder Return

  • YTM - Yield To Maturity

Advertisement

Professional Financial Abbreviations

You may not be a financial professional, but you’ll want to know who to turn to when you need one. Common titles for financial professionals include:

  • CAO - Chief Accounting Officer

  • CFA - Chartered Financial Analyst

  • CFM - Certified Financial Manager

  • CFO - Chief Financial Officer

  • CFP - Certified Financial Planner

  • CIA - Certified Internal Auditor

  • CIMA - Certified Investment Management Analyst

  • CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor

  • CMA - Certified Management Accountant

  • CMO - Chief Marketing Officer

  • COO - Chief Operating Officer

  • CPA - Certified Public Accountant

  • CPP - Certified Payroll Professional

  • CSO - Chief Security Officer

  • CTO - Chief Technology Officer

  • RIA - Registered Investment Advisor

Advertisement

Work Smarter, Not Harder

For abbreviations on terms not covered here, consult your financial professional or check out: