[center][b][size=5]What does .ob behind a stock in the stock market stand for?[/size][/b][/center]
I am watchin a stock that has .ob behind the the name such as :lqmt.ob I want to buy it but the .OB has me concerned

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

The .OB means its a NASDAQ bulletin board stock. IE its a smaller company that does not meet the listing requirements to be on the regular stock exchange.

To be listed a company needs to be at least certain size, and have at least a certain number of shares outstanding at a specified price.

Since this stock is not listed the stock will be followed by fewer people and only have limited interest but it still has to file regular forms with the SEC, and should still be pretty safe, though certainly not as safe as listed stocks.

For me these stocks are good as so few people follow them that you can sometimes find some real hidden bargains, but they are also riskier stocks as they are typically smaller companies and one can often find very little info on them.

[url] http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060607182930AAfo2Gd [/url]

[center][b][size=5]What does "OB" and "PK" mean as listed behind a stock symbol?[/size][/b][/center]
Stocks found on the New York and American Stock Exchange will normally have symbols with three letters or less. On the other hand, stocks on the Nasdaq Exchange have four letters. Symbols are just a shorthand way of describing a company's stock, so there is no significant difference between those that have three letters and those that have four.

You should watch out, however, when extra letters are added as a suffix to the stock symbol. This happens for many different reasons, including the following:

- If this is a preferred stock, the letters "PR" and the letter denoting the class will typically be added. For example, a fictional preferred stock called Cory's Tequila Corporate Preferred T's would have a symbol such as CTC.PR.T.

- If the company has more than one type of stock currently trading, then it will have the class added to its suffix. For instance, Berkshire Hathaway comes in two forms: BRK.A and BRK.B.

- If a stock is trading on the Pink Sheets or the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, a "PK" or "OB" will be added to the stock symbol.

- On the Nasdaq, a fifth symbol is added to stocks that are delinquent in certain exchange requirements. For example, the letter "Q" will be added to the stock symbol of a company presently in bankruptcy proceedings.

[url] http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070927111857AAToAp0 [/url]

[center][b][size=5]What are OTC, .PK, .OB mean for stock symbols?[/size][/b][/center]
When I go to Yahoo Finance, for some of the symbols at end they have .PK or .OB and for some at the end of the symbol they have OTC in bracket (OTC). What do they mean? What are Pink Stocks?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

OTC stands for "Over the Counter". It means a security traded in some context other than on a formal exchange such as the NYSE, TSX, AMEX, etc. The phrase "over-the-counter" can be used to refer to stocks that trade via a dealer network as opposed to on a centralized exchange.

OB means "over-the counter bulletin board". A regulated electronic trading service offered by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) that shows real-time quotes, last-sale prices and volume information for over-the-counter (OTC) equity securities. Companies listed on this exchange are required to file current financial statements with the SEC or a banking or insurance regulator. There are no listing requirements, such as those found on the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange, for a company to start trading on the OB.

PK means "pink sheets". A daily publication is compiled by the National Quotation Bureau with bid and ask prices of over-the-counter stocks, including the market makers who trade them. Unlike companies on a stock exchange, companies quoted on the pink sheets system do not need to meet minimum requirements or file with the SEC. Pink sheets also refers to OTC trading.

To the average investor this means you may have some difficulty trading these stocks unless you have access to some of these OTC markets. There may be liquidity issues with these stocks as well.

[url] http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070515165405AAJw4u0 [/url]