Outstanding Shares
Investopedia Commentary
This number is shown on company's' balance sheets under the heading "Capital Stock" and is more important than the authorized shares or float. It is used in the calculation of many widely used metrics including "market capitalization" and "Earnings-per-Share (EPS)".
Related Links
The Basics Of Outstanding Shares And The Float
Stock Basics Tutorial
See also: Authorized Shares, Capital Stock, Diluted Earnings Per Share, Earnings Per Share - EPS, Float, Market Capitalization, Normal Market Size - NMS
Also spelled: Shares Outstanding