Options Symbols, Including Mini: Generic, Schwab, Fidelity

In 2010 options symbols transitioned to a new terminology.   Unfortunately Fidelity and Schwab decided they didn’t want to use the standard, generic format, so they invented their own “better” version of the new symbols.   Here are the new formats:

Generic, industry standard format: “SPY 10417C00114000”     (<symbol> <YYMMDD>  <C or P><5 digit whole dollar strike><3 digit decimal>).

Schwab’s systems: “SPY 04/17/2010 114.00 C”       (<symbol> <MM/DD/YYYY> <whole dollar strike>.<2 digit decimal> <C or P>)

Fidelity’s systems: “-SPY100417C114   (<dash><symbol> <YYMMDD>  <C or P><whole dollar strike, no leading zeros><“.” if fractional strike> <decimal with no trailing zeros>) .  Another example would be “-QHD100417C32.5”  for a call with a strike price of $32.5

Mini-Options 

“Mini” options with their 10 share instead of 100 share specification have a “7” appended to the symbol,  e.g., for Schwab  “SPY7 10/19/2013 168.00 C”