Learn / How to Read a Stock Quote

Guide

How to Read a Stock Quote: A Simple Guide for Beginners

A stock quote looks like a wall of numbers, but each one answers a simple question. Here is what the main pieces mean in plain English.

Ticker and price

The ticker is the stock's short nickname, such as AAPL. The price is what one share costs right now. During market hours it updates constantly, and after the close it shows the last trade of the day.

Change and percent change

This shows how much the price moved compared with yesterday's close. A green number with a plus sign means it rose. A red number with a minus sign means it fell. The percent change is easier to compare across stocks than the dollar change.

Volume

Volume is how many shares were traded. Compare it with the stock's normal volume. A move on unusually high volume suggests people really cared about something.

Market cap and P/E ratio

Market cap is the total value of the company. The P/E ratio shows how much investors pay for each dollar of earnings. Together they tell you how big the company is and how richly the market is valuing it.

52 week range

This shows the lowest and highest prices over the past year. If today's price sits near the top, the stock has had a strong year. Near the bottom means it has been struggling.

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Educational information, not financial advice.