Finding Bloomberg Fundamentals for Delisted Historical Constituents

Summary

The note addresses how to retrieve fundamental data for companies that have delisted, when historical constituent lists use ticker strings that include a delisting date. Its answer recommends resolving a security through a stable identifier such as an ISIN, which can be used to request a current or historical ticker and to access fundamentals without relying on the old ticker format. It also mentions using Bloomberg’s historical identifier point-in-time field with a date-range override to look up identifiers through Excel or the API.

The response says Bloomberg’s Excel and API interfaces use the same underlying overrides, and notes that ISIN lookup is straightforward when that identifier is available; a global identifier may be harder to obtain. The example illustrates identifier mapping for a company whose ticker changed. The guidance depends on having an accepted identifier or a Bloomberg-recognized security, and the note does not explain bulk matching, coverage gaps, or how to validate historical fundamentals.

Key ideas

• Ticker strings that append a delisting date may need to be mapped to Bloomberg-recognized security identifiers.
• An ISIN can be used to request fundamental data without supplying the historical ticker.
• Bloomberg’s point-in-time historical identifier field can help map a security on a specified date.
• The Excel add-in and API use the same general override mechanism.
• Identifier availability and matching coverage may limit this approach.

Tags

# Bloomberg API / Excel Add In - Delisted Stocks


# Bloomberg API / Excel Add In - Delisted Stocks












So I am using the Bloomberg Excel add in but can also use the API. My dilemma is I have a list of tickers containing SP500 historical constituents and I have retrieved 600 of them from an alternative source who supply fundamental data such as revenue.

However, for the delisted ones Bloomberg seems the only place that holds fundamentals for delisted tickers, but the problem is how do I feed it the tickers I am looking for, firstly the tickers are structured as so 'PBG-201002' so ticker and year it delisted.

But Bloomberg doesn't understand this so I am wondering how I can translate this into Bloomberg, fairly new to it too so any help will go a long way. :)

## Answer by AKdemy (score 2, accepted)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/65499

The comment of Enrico definitely works. The APIs are all the same (R is actually not a BBG solution but someone made the C++ API - which is also what excel is based on - usable within R).

`=BDP("DRIV US Equity","HISTORICAL_ID_POINT_TIME","HISTORICAL_ID_TM_RANGE_START_DT = 20130101")` for the excel equivalent. Python uses the same overrides (BLPAPI) as found on `WAPI`.

If you had the ISIN, you could easily just use that (or BBG FIGI `"ID_BB_Global"` but this is less likely to get). `=BDP("US25388B1044 Isin","Ticker")` for example which is the ISIN for the "old" DRIV US which shows the "new" ticker 161136D. You do not need the ticker, and can get the fundamental data directly via the ISIN.

You can also look it up online where you can enter a FIGI, ticker, company name, other identifier.

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This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.