What's in a symbol? Ask GMM

TORONTO, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. automaker General Motors Co. is willing to pay for its "GM" ticker symbol for listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange, a Canadian executive said.

Michael England, chief executive officer at Geo Mineral, a small public copper mining company, said the automaker had contacted him "a few times, asking about the symbol."

Although England said the automaker is willing to pay for the "GM" ticker symbol, "We never really came to anything out of it," he said, the Detroit Free press reported Saturday.

GM spokesman Jason Easton downplayed the issue. "I don't think it's a problem. Our ticker symbol here (in Toronto) is GMM and we know our investors are informed," he said.

The automaker was delisted on the Toronto exchange in 2005. Geo Mineral went public in 2007 and was offered the "GM" symbol.

The automaker went into bankruptcy in 2009 and returned to public life with an initial public offering. It is listed as "GM" on the New York Stock Exchange.

The confusion might end at the ticker tape, the newspaper said. GM, the automaker, is worth about $51 billion. GM, the mining company, is valued at about $3.75 million.