While outstanding shares are a determinant of a stock’s liquidity, the latter is largely dependent on its share float. A company may have 100 million shares outstanding, but if 95 million of these shares are held by insiders and institutions, the float of only five million may constrain the stock’s liquidity. Share Repurchase Programs
Full Answer
What does the number of shares outstanding Mean?
In other words, the number of shares outstanding represents the amount of stock on the open market, including shares held by institutional investors and restricted shares held by insiders and company officers. A company’s outstanding shares can fluctuate for a number of reasons. The number will increase if the company issues additional shares.
How does the number of shares outstanding affect a company’s liquidity?
Of course, merely increasing the number of outstanding shares is no guarantee of success; the company has to deliver consistent earnings growth as well. While outstanding shares are a determinant of a stock’s liquidity, the latter is largely dependent on its share float.
Where do outstanding shares go on the balance sheet?
Outstanding shares are shown on a company’s balance sheet under the heading “Capital Stock.” The number of outstanding shares is used in calculating key metrics such as a company’s market capitalization, as well as its earnings per share (EPS) and cash flow per share (CFPS).
What happens to shares outstanding when a company buys back shares?
Outstanding shares will decrease if the company buys back its shares under a share repurchase program. Shares outstanding refer to a company's stock currently held by all its shareholders, including share blocks held by institutional investors and restricted shares owned by the company’s officers and insiders.
What does the number of shares outstanding mean?
In other words, the number of shares outstanding represents the amount of stock on the open market, including shares held by institutional investors and restricted shares held by insiders and company officers. A company’s outstanding shares can fluctuate for a number of reasons. The number will increase if the company issues additional shares.
What is a company's stock outstanding?
Shares outstanding refer to a company's stock currently held by all its shareholders, including share blocks held by institutional investors and restricted shares owned by the company’s officers and insiders. A company's number of shares outstanding is not static and may fluctuate wildly over time.
What happens when a company considers its stock to be undervalued?
Often times, if a company considers its stock to be undervalued, it will institute a repurchase program, buying back shares of its own stock. In an effort to increase the market value of remaining shares and elevate overall earnings per share, the company may reduce the number of shares outstanding by repurchasing, or buying back those shares, thus taking them off the open market.
Why is the weighted average of outstanding shares used?
Since the number of outstanding shares is incorporated into key calculations of financial metrics such as earnings per share and because this number is so subject to variation over time, the weighted average of outstanding shares is often used in its stead in certain formulae.
How much of BlackBerry stock did they buy back in 2015?
announced a plan to repurchase 12 million of its own outstanding shares in an effort to increase stock earnings. BlackBerry plans to buy back 2.6% of its more than 500 million outstanding float shares as an increase in equity incentive.
How is floating stock calculated?
Floating stock is calculated by taking outstanding shares and subtracting restricted shares. Restricted stock are shares that are owned by company insiders, employees and key shareholders that are under temporary restriction, and therefore cannot be traded.
What is stock outstanding?
Shares outstanding are the stock that is held by a company’s shareholders on the open market. Along with individual shareholders, this includes restricted shares that are held by a company’s officers and institutional investors. On a company balance sheet, they are indicated as capital stock.
