COMPANY NAMES

A well-known name may be shortened even on first appearance if clear:

            DuPont, IBM, Ford, AT&T.

However, when there is much material about a company, try to give its full name on first appearance. Generally do not abbreviate Company or Corporation or use an ampersand unless it is so done on the organization's letterhead.

Inc. and Ltd are usually abbreviated in company names, although they are generally omitted in editorial contexts. Ltd is usually written without a period. To simplify credit punctuation, the period may be left off Inc in credit lines.

Use all capitals only if the letters are individually pronounced:

            IBM, BMW; but Visa, not VISA

            Ikea, not IKEA

            Traffic, not TRAFFIC (for the group working to stop illegal wildlife trade)

Do not use special type or symbols: Walmart, not Wal*Mart.

Note: When a company is the antecedent for a pronoun, the pronoun is singular.

See also TRADEMARKS entry