outstanding capital stock

Shares Outstanding

The number of shares an issuing entity, such as a publicly-traded company, has not repurchased and that are available for trade by the general public. This is sometimes known as collection float or float.

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outstanding capital stock

The number of shares of capital stock that have been issued and that are in public hands. Outstanding stock excludes shares issued but subsequently repurchased by the issuer as Treasury stock. Outstanding stock is used in the calculation of book value per share and earnings per share. Also called shares outstanding, stock outstanding.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott. Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.