Capital stock, also known as authorized stock, refers to all common stock and preferred stock a corporation is legally allowed to issue. A corporation's charter establishes the amount of shares the corporation may issue, and the board of directors can either issue the maximum amount or retain a portion of the shares.
Example of Authorized Share Capital Imagine a company with an authorized share capital of one million common shares at a par value of $1 each, for a total of $1 million. However, the actual issued capital of the company is only 100,000 shares, leaving 900,000 in the company's treasury available for future issuance.
Authorized Share Capital formula The formula to calculate authorized share capital is to multiply the number of authorized shares by the par value per share. This calculation gives you the nominal capital, combining the quantity of shares a company can issue and their individual value.
Capital stock, also known as authorized stock, refers to all common stock and preferred stock a corporation is legally allowed to issue. A corporation's charter establishes the amount of shares the corporation may issue, and the board of directors can either issue the maximum amount or retain a portion of the shares.
There are two main types of capital stock: Common stock: Common stock gives shareholders more votes over a company's business decisions. Preferred stock: Preferred stock acts like a bond, with reliable dividends.