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.

---

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

---

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

Its capital stock was fixed at $1,000,000, divided into shares of $100 each.

From The Story of the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg RailRoad by Hungerford, Edward