How many shares of common stock are outstanding

The number is used to calculate many common financial metrics, such as earnings per share EPS and market capitalization. The number of outstanding shares can be found on a company's most recent quarterly or annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC , usually on its balance sheet in the shareholders' equity section. The number of shares outstanding for a company is equal to the number of shares issued minus the number of shares held in the company's treasury.

If a company buys back its own stock , those repurchased shares are called treasury stock. The number of shares outstanding can and usually does fluctuate over time. The number of shares outstanding increases if a company sells more shares to the public, splits its stock , or employees redeem stock options. The number of shares outstanding decreases if the company buys back shares or a reverse stock split is completed.

It's worth noting that a company's basic number of shares outstanding can differ from its fully diluted number of shares. The basic number is synonymous with the number of currently outstanding shares, while the fully diluted number accounts for the share equivalent of all warrants, capital notes, and convertible stock the company may have issued. The fully diluted number of shares indicates how many outstanding shares there could potentially be if all existing equity instruments were converted into common stock.

The second line from the bottom indicates the number of shares outstanding at the end of each fiscal year, and the bottom line indicates how many new shares were issued by Apple in that year.

Total shares outstanding decreased from more than 21 billion in to less than 17 billion in If you are an investor, this figure will enable you to determine how a company has performed on a per-share basis compared to the competition within the industry. It is a much better analysis option, instead of depending on the share price, which is dynamic and subject to constant market fluctuations.

Also, common stock outstanding has direct implications on your ownership level. An increase in common stock outstanding reduces your stake in a company you invest in. In addition, more shares may mean less control for shareholders and a lower share price due to value dilution. Issued shares are those given out in exchange for money to investors or as compensation for work or supplies one does or provides for the company to employees and suppliers.

While people tend to confuse them with shares outstanding, they are not completely similar. That is because they do not consider the shares in reserve. However, issued shares include those that were initially allocated to investors and those in reserve. Also, outstanding shares do not include preferred shares but issued shares do.

Stock Advisor will renew at the then current list price. Investing Best Accounts. Stock Market Basics. Stock Market. Industries to Invest In. Getting Started. Planning for Retirement. Retired: What Now? In some cases, a company will own stock in itself. These shares are known as treasury stock. Unlike typical shares, treasury stock does not grant voting rights or the ability to receive dividends. If a company decides to sell treasury stock, those shares will convert to outstanding shares.

However, this does not change the number of issued shares. To calculate the exact number of outstanding shares, you can subtract the number of issued shares from treasury shares. In the balance sheet of a company, you can find the outstanding shares listed under Capital Stock. Publicly traded companies must meet several reporting requirements, including listing company stock in their balance sheet. Generally, the company will need to provide information on their outstanding and issued shares on their website or on the website of a local stock exchange.

If you need help understanding issued shares vs.