• Kurtoz describes the “fatness” of tails found in probability distributions.

  • The normal distribution has a kurtosis of exactly 3.0 and is known as mesocurtic.
  • “Fat tails” are observed in distributions with kurtosis greater than 3.0 and are known as leptokurtic.
  • Stock prices have been described as having fat tails.
  • Platykurtic distributions have skinner tails with kurtosis less than 3.0.