ACRS

Accelerated cost recovery system

AGI

Adjusted gross income

AICPA

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

AKA

Also known as

AMEX

American Stock Exchange; American Express credit card

AMT

Alternative minimum tax

ANOVA

Analysis of variance

AON

All-or-none order

AP

Associated Press

APR

Annual percentage rate

ARM

Adjustable rate mortgage

ASAP

As soon as possible

ASCII

American National Standard Code for Information Interchange

ASP

Application Service Provider

ASQC

American Society for Quality Control

AT&T

American Telephone and Telegraph

ATM

Automated teller machine

AV

Audiovisual

BA

Bachelor of arts (degree)

B&B

Bed and breakfast

BBB

Better Business Bureau

BLM

Bureau of Land Management

BLS

Bureau of Labor Statistics

BOP

Balance of payments

BS

Bachelor of science (degree); Bull shit

BTB, B2B

Business-to-business

BTW

By the way

CAD

Current Account Deficit

CAD/CAM

Computer-aided design/manufacturing

CALPERS

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CAPM

Capital asset pricing model

CATS

Certificates of accrual on treasury securities

CBOE

Chicago Board of Options Exchange

CBOT

Chicago Board of Trade

CBS

Columbia Broadcasting System

CBT

                        Computer-based training

CC

Copy correspondence

CCC

Civilian Conservation Corps

CD

Certificate of deposit

CDMA

Code-division multiple access

CD-RW

CD re-writeable

CE

Capital expenditures

CEA

Council of Economic Advisers

CEO

Chief executive officer

CEU

Continuing education unit

CFC

Chartered financial consultant

CFO

Chief financial officer

CFS

Chronic fatigue syndrome

 

CIF, c.i.f.

Cost, insurance, and freight

CMO

Collateralized mortgage obligation

COD

Cash on delivery

COE

Corps of Engineers

COLA

Cost of living adjustment

CP

Commercial paper

CPA

Certified public accountant

CPI

Consumer Price Index

CPM

Cost per thousand

CSMS

Customer Satisfaction Measurement Survey

CTR

Click-through rate

CU

Consumers Union

CV

Curriculum vita

CYA

Cover your ass

DAC

Deferred acquisition cost

DAP

Developmental action plan

D&B

Dun and Bradstreet

DIDMCA

Depository Institutions Deregulatory and Money Control Act

DINK

Double-Income No Kid

DJIA

Dow Jones Industrial Average

DMA

Direct Marketing Association

DNC

Do not call

DOA

Dead on arrival

DOMA

Die or move away

DOL

Department of Labor

EBITDA

Earnings before interest, taxes, deprecation and amortization

ECU

European currency unit

EEOC

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

EFTS

Electronic Funds Transfer System

EIS

Environmental impact statement

EOM

End of the month

EM

Electronic mail

EP

European plan; Extended play

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

EPS

Earnings per share

ERISA

Employment Retirement Income Security Act

ERP

Enterprise resource planning

ESOP

Employee Self-Ownership Plan

ETA

Estimated time of arrival

 

EU

European Union

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

FASB

Federal accounting standards board

FCC

Federal Communications Commission

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

FEB

Feature, evidence, benefit

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FHA

Farmers Home Administration

FHLB

Federal Home Loan Bank

FHLMC

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, “Freddie Mac”

FICA

Federal Insurance Contribution Act

FIFO

First in, first out accounting system

FNMA

Federal National Mortgage Association, “Fannie Mae”

FOB

Free on board

FOIA

Freedom of Information Act

FOMC

Federal Open Market Committee

FRB

Federal Reserve Board, “Fed”

FSBO

For sale by owner

FSLIC

Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation

FTC

Federal Trade Commission

FUBAR

Fouled up beyond all recognition

FUD

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt

FY

Fiscal year

FYI

For your information

G-7

Group of seven

GAAP

Generally accepted accounting principles

GAO

General Accounting Office

GATT

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GIC

Guaranteed investment contract

GIF

Graphics interchange format; Global income fund

GM

General manager; General Motors

GNMA

Government National Mortgage Association, “Ginnie Mae”

GO bond

General obligation bond

GOP

Grand old party (Republican Party)

GPRS

General packet radio service

GS

General service (rating)

GTC

Good till canceled

HLM

Honorary life member

 

HMO

Health maintenance organization

HR

Human resources; House of Representatives

HUD

Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUT

Households using television

IBRD

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank

ICC

Interstate Commerce Commission

ID

Identification

IM

Instant messaging

IMC

Integrated Marketing Communication

IMF

International Monetary Fund, “the Fund”

IMHO

In my humble opinion

IPO

Initial public offering

IRA

Individual retirement account

IRC

Internal Revenue Code

IRIF

Involuntary reduction in force

IRR

Internal rate of return

IRS

Internal Revenue Service

ISP

Internet service provider

ITM

In the money

JC

Junior college

JD

Juris Doctor (degree)

JIT

Just-in-time

JTPA

Job Training Partnership Act

KISS

Keep it simple, stupid

KKR

Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts

KO

Knock out

K&R (insurance)

Kidnap and ransom insurance

LAN

Local area network

LBO

Leveraged buyout

LDC

Less developed country

LEAPS

Long-term equity anticipation securities

LIBOR

London Inter-Bank Offered Rate

LIFO

Last in, first out

LOB

Line of business

LOC

Letter of credit

LP

Limited partnership

M1, M2

Measures of the money supply

MA

Master of arts (degree)

MAP

Modified American plan

MBA

Master of business administration (degree)

MBI

Management by intimidation

MBO

Management by objectives

 

MBWA

Management by walking around

MERC

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (nickname)

MFN

Most favored nation

MIS

Management information system

MIT

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MITI

Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Japan)

MLP

Master limited partnership

MMS

Multimedia messaging service

MLS

Multiple listing service

MNC

Multinational Corporation

MO

Modus operandi

MRO

Maintenance, repair, and operations (supplies)

MS

Master of science (degree)

MSRP

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAICS

North American Industrial Classification System

NAPM

National Association of Purchasing Management

NASDAQ

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations

NAV

Net asset value

NBC

National Broadcasting Corporation

NC

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