There was a time when classification was simple.  Coca-Cola sells discretionary consumer goods.  J&J is a health care company.  Pretty straightforward, right?

But what about Comcast?  Is it a telecommunications company?  Media?  Information technology?

Semantics to some.  Important to others – particularly the investment community insofar as comparisons to benchmarks, diversification, etc require specificity.

To try to clear up any confusion the S&P 500 is being reclassified.  Here’s the before and after: