How do you read an Options Symbol?

Reading option symbols can be quite confusing at first glance. An option contract symbol is separated into 4 parts. First is the underlying stock ticker. Next is the expiration date in YYMMDD format. Then the option type is listed, “C” for call or “P” for put. Last, is the strike price, also known as the exercise price. This value includes three decimal places. A simple way of calculating this value is to divide the strike price part of the option ticker by 1000.

Example - January 21, 2022 Call Option for Uber with a $50 Strike Price

UBER220121C00050000 = UBER + 220121 + C + 00050000

Underlying Stock - UBER
Expiration Date - January 21st, 2022 or ‘220121’ (YYMMDD)
Option Type - Call or ‘C’
Strike Price - 00050000 (50000/1000) or $50

You can read more about this in our blog post - How to Read a Stock Options Ticker