capital stock

American  

noun

1. the total stock authorized or issued by a corporation.

2. the book value of the outstanding shares of a corporation, including retained earnings and amounts paid in by stockholders.

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capital stock British  

noun

1. the par value of the total share capital that a company is authorized to issue

2. the total physical capital existing in an economy at any moment of time

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Etymology

Origin of capital stock

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

capital stock

But displacing truck drivers requires replacing an enormous physical capital stock: the trucks themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

A larger capital stock will support productivity gains and boost wages and employment over time.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

"The conflict has damaged nearly one-third of Syria’s pre-conflict gross capital stock, with direct physical damages to infrastructure, residential buildings, and non-residential buildings estimated at $108 billion," the report said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2025

One reason is what he called "capital stock turnover."

From Scientific American ● Mar. 21, 2023

These stockholders get their dividends upon their capital stock and their share of "watered stock" and bonds, but do not participate in the profits of the dispatch business.

From Monopolies and the People by Cloud, D. C.